Online spending hits $26.4B during Amazon Prime Day as retailers push overlapping deals

U.S. online retail spending surged to $26.4 billion during Amazon’s four-day Prime Day event, according to Adobe data, marking a 9.3% increase from last year’s July sale. The total narrowly exceeded Adobe’s prior estimate of $26.3 billion and reflected broader retail trends as competitors Walmart and Target launched overlapping promotions. Electronics and apparel saw the deepest discounts, averaging around 24% off, while “buy now, pay later” payment options accounted for 6.6% of all orders tracked by Adobe. Consumer research firm Numerator reported that the average household spent $143 on Amazon during the event, down 8.3% from last year’s Prime Day. Top-selling items included protein shakes, trash bags, and cat treats, based on spending data from over 59,000 households. PMG, a global marketing firm, noted that discounts on Amazon were shallower this year compared to 2025. Amazon, which does not disclose official spending figures for Prime Day, responded with a statement calling the event a success in terms of customer response. The company also cautioned that third-party estimates of Prime Day spending are often inaccurate. The event’s performance is closely watched as an indicator of consumer spending health and willingness to splurge during promotional periods.