Amazon Extends Prime Day Amid Competition And Tariff Threats

Amazon is expanding its annual Prime Day sales to four days for the first time, beginning early Tuesday morning and ending early Friday, according to AP. The move comes as Amazon seeks to maintain consumer interest in the event and compete with Walmart, Target, and Best Buy, all of which are offering rival July promotions. Gen Z Prime members will receive 5% cash back and discounted membership options. Analysts predict $23.8 billion in U.S. online sales during the four-day window, a 28.4% jump over last year. An Adobe Digital Insights analyst expects retail discounts this week to match last year’s levels, while a Salesforce analyst noted a trend toward more targeted promotions. Amazon Prime and other July sales have traditionally spurred early back-to-school and seasonal shopping. Analysts expect consumers to buy now to avoid potential price hikes from upcoming tariffs.