Amazon’s Prime Day has extended into a four-day shopping event, starting on July 8, in an effort to attract both shoppers and sellers amid uncertainty surrounding tariffs. The midsummer sales are expected to see record spending, with Adobe forecasting $23.8 billion worth of purchases, a 28% increase from last year.
Shoppers are bracing themselves for potential price hikes due to tariffs imposed by President Trump, particularly on Chinese imports. Electronics and back-to-school supplies are expected to be top priorities for many shoppers, as they seek bargains to avoid future price increases.
The White House is also negotiating with other countries over trade deals, pushing the deadline from July 9 to August. However, many stores have absorbed tariff costs or are selling off products ahead of tariffs kicking in. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said that sellers have used this tactic and prices haven’t risen “appreciably.”
Prime Day has become an industry-wide shopping event, with retailers like Walmart and Target competing for mid-year sales dollars. Spending at other retailers grew faster during Prime Day than at Amazon, but the four-day stretch is now giving Amazon a boost.
Experts predict that shoppers will spend $23.8 billion this week, with electronics and back-to-school supplies leading the way. Sellers are under pressure to raise prices on these items due to tariffs, which have imposed an effective 30% tariff on Chinese imports.
The strong job market and wage growth have allowed U.S. shoppers to continue spending despite inflation and tariff uncertainty. However, some retailers, like Walmart, warn that prices will rise as a result of the tariffs.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2025/07/08/nx-s1-5460943/prime-day-deals-sales-tariffs