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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Solely 23% of consumers purchased presents throughout October Prime Day.
- In the meantime, 28% of consumers stated they bought on a regular basis objects.
- The most well-liked merchandise bought by ZDNET readers have been cheap tech units.
Customers used this week’s Prime Big Deal Days sale, which ran from Oct. 7-8, to replenish on sale objects and buy on a regular basis items as an alternative of massive vacation present purchases, in accordance with a brand new monitoring survey of over 5,000 October Prime Day consumers conducted by data company Numerator.
Additionally: The best October Prime Day deals still live
In September, Amazon stated the Prime Huge Deal Days occasion was meant to launch the 2025 vacation procuring season. “Prime Huge Deal Days kicks off the vacation procuring season with unique offers for Prime members on must-have objects and widespread presents,” stated Carmen Nestares, vice chairman of North America Advertising and marketing and Prime Tech, within the September release. The sale, nevertheless, appeared to level towards a unique actuality.
A recent survey from our sister site CNET discovered that of these planning to buy early for the vacations, 56% deliberate to take action between August and October. Nonetheless, in accordance with the Numerator data, 28% of October Prime Day consumers bought on a regular basis items, like groceries or home goods, 25% stocked up on sale objects, and 45% bought an merchandise they have been ready to purchase on sale. The highest shopped classes have been additionally all necessities.
Numerator studies the highest classes consumers say they purchased throughout the first day of Prime Huge Deal Days have been attire and footwear (26%), family necessities (26%), house magnificence & cosmetics (22%), well being & wellness objects (21%), and residential items (21%). These are much like numbers reported in Numerator’s July Prime Day survey.
Additionally: Over half of holiday tech shoppers concerned by price hikes and tariffs, CNET survey finds
With turbulent financial situations, the upcoming vacation season, and rising inflation, it is no shock that consumers targeted on necessities. In keeping with CNET’s survey, practically 87% of these planning to buy tech merchandise this yr stated they’re nervous about rising prices on account of tariffs and inflation, and the supply of widespread merchandise, just like the Nintendo Switch 2.
A transfer from flagship tech to cheap devices
Lacking from Prime Day procuring tendencies described above is flagship tech. ZDNET’s personal top-selling Prime Day merchandise from Prime Huge Deal Days yielded related outcomes. Although some purchases included discounted laptops and TVs, the most well-liked merchandise for ZDNET readers have been cheap devices and gizmos — primarily below $100.
Additionally: The top 10 products our readers bought during Prime Day 2025 (no. 1 is still pretty odd)
Our readers’ top purchase was a $15 ear digicam instrument. Smaller sensible units rounded out the majority of the list: a streaming stick, an AirPods cleaning tool, cheap USB-C accessories, smart plugs, cellular equipment, and on a regular basis tech objects like AirTags.
Even ZDNET’s solely outlier, the dearer Google Pixel Tablet (our No. 4 top-seller), remained priced at $250 on sale.
ZDNET’s no. 1 promoting October Prime Day product is a $15 ear digicam instrument.
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
Since these purchases aren’t early vacation procuring indicators, I’ve to surprise if Amazon’s fall occasion is an instance of the infamous “lipstick effect” within the type of gizmos and devices.
Additionally: Our No. 1 selling Prime Day product wasn’t even on sale (and it’s sort of bizarre)
What does this imply for vacation procuring?
Although CNET’s survey indicated that about half of consumers plan to buy tech early between August and October, Numerator’s survey discovered that solely 23% of consumers truly took benefit of Prime Huge Deal Days to get a soar on vacation procuring. Of these surveyed, 55% stated they weren’t but positive what they wanted or wished for the vacations, whereas one other 32% stated it felt too early to make their vacation purchases. Christmas and Hanukkah are about 11 weeks away.
Final yr, the National Retail Federation reported that 45% of consumers deliberate to get a head begin on vacation procuring earlier than November. This yr, the NRF will launch its vacation forecast on Nov. 6, a couple of weeks later than in years previous.
In keeping with Adobe’s 2025 Cyber Week Spend Forecast, US on-line gross sales are anticipated to hit $254.3 billion this vacation season between November and December, with Cyber Monday clocking in as the most important procuring day of each the winter procuring rush and the yr, with an anticipated $14.5 billion in client spending, up 6.3% yr over yr (YoY).
Additionally: Worried about rising tech prices? Try these 5 easy ways to shop smarter right now
Adobe anticipates that over half of on-line spending this procuring season will likely be comprised of furnishings, attire, and electronics classes, with the latter anticipated to rake in $57.5 billion, up 4% YoY. On the identical time, smaller classes like groceries and cosmetics are seeing fast development, with groceries anticipated to be up 9.2% this yr, totaling round $23.5 billion.
We’ll have to attend and see what this vacation procuring season actually seems like, however thus far, early fall gross sales aren’t attractive Individuals to buy presents, and most consumers use them to save lots of on the staple objects they use day by day. Cyber Week continues to be the commerce king, and occasions like Prime Day could have misplaced their luster.
In any case, “early” vacation procuring is just possible when you can afford to do it — and plenty of Individuals look like feeling the squeeze.
When was October Prime Day 2025?
October Prime Day (or Prime Huge Deal Days) ran from Tuesday, Oct. 7, by means of Wednesday, Oct. 8 this yr.
When is Black Friday 2025?
This yr Black Friday returns on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. Cyber Monday follows shortly after on Monday, Dec. 1.
