Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN.US)Prime Day starts today: online spending expected to reach $26.3 billion, retail battle heats up.

Local time on Tuesday, the 12th annual Prime Day promotion of Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN.US) officially kicked off. This four-day shopping extravaganza will run from June 23rd to 26th, earlier than the usual July schedule in previous years. Amazon.com, Inc. stated that the timing adjustment was due to major events such as the World Cup and the 250th anniversary celebration of the United States Independence Day this summer. Market expectations are generally high that, amidst high inflation and consumers seeking discounts, this promotion will be an important window to test the resilience of American consumer spending. Sales Volume Expectations According to forecasts by Adobe Analytics, the total online sales volume for Amazon.com, Inc. and other competitors during this year's Prime Day is expected to reach around $26.3 billion, a 9% increase from the same period last year. Adobe also pointed out that this number will exceed the total online sales volume of "Black Friday" and "Cyber Monday" in 2025, reflecting the increasingly prominent position of Prime Day in the retail calendar. Estimates from Bank of America Corp are relatively conservative, predicting that these 96 hours will generate around $21.6 billion in total merchandise transactions for Amazon.com, Inc., a 5% year-on-year increase. The bank also mentioned that the AI shopping tools deployed by Amazon.com, Inc. are expected to increase consumer engagement and spending during the event. Dual Drive of Membership Ecosystem and Discount Strategy Since its launch in 2015, Prime Day has been the core engine for Amazon.com, Inc. to attract Prime members. Currently, the annual fee for Prime membership in the United States is $139, providing services such as fast shipping and video streaming. According to Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, as of March this year, the number of Prime members in the United States is approximately 201 million, a 3% increase year-on-year. In terms of discount intensity, Adobe predicts that this year's promotional level will be roughly the same as Prime Day 2025. Although the depth of discounts has not significantly expanded, major retailers are still trying to stimulate consumption and cover a wide range of product categories. Essential Consumption Drives Shopping Carts Looking at popular categories, there is strong demand for children's clothing, backpacks, lunch boxes, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, and power tools. Amazon.com, Inc. is focusing on promoting groceries, essential household items, travel-related goods, and school supplies. With the continued expansion of same-day delivery services, the proportion of essential consumption of Prime members continues to increase. Analysts believe that in an environment where the inflation rate accelerated to 4.2% in May and fuel prices remained high, household budgets continue to be under pressure, and the sales structure of this event will provide key clues to observing consumer spending patterns. Walmart Inc., Target Corporation Facing Challenges Although Prime Day is Amazon.com, Inc.'s flagship event, competitors are not sitting idly by. Walmart Inc. (WMT.US) and Target Corporation (TGT.US) have launched overlapping promotional activities simultaneously, intensifying the competition for online customers. A survey by digital marketing agency Tinuiti showed that nearly 60% of consumers planning to shop on Prime Day will also browse Walmart Inc.'s discounts, and 35% plan to visit Target Corporation's promotions. However, market research firm eMarketer predicts that Amazon.com, Inc. will still account for approximately 60% of total online retail spending in the United States during Prime Day, potentially achieving its highest event share since 2019, highlighting its unbreakable dominance in e-commerce.