Shoppers are Buying Smarter, Not Bigger - Amazon Big Deal Days 2025 Proves It
Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days 2025 has ended and while the event generated plenty of buzz, the info paints a picture of how shoppers are spending before we head into Q4.
From smaller baskets to essentials-first shopping, the October event slightly hints at how consumers are thinking and what brands should be doing to stay ahead coming into Q4.
Headline Stats
All the data in this article is from Numerator and Forbes.
According to Numerator, U.S. shoppers spent an average of $45.42 per order during Amazon’s October Big Deal Days (Numerator, 2025). That’s down around 15% compared to July’s Prime Day event (Forbes, 2025) which is a sign that customers are being more cautious with their spending.
Other key takeaways from the U.S. market:
- 44% of orders were for $20 or less with 90% of orders coming in under $100 (Numerator, 2025)
- Average household spend reached $104.69, with 14% spending $200+ (Numerator, 2025)
- Surveyed shoppers focused heavily on household essentials over discretionary or gift items (Numerator, 2025)
For many households, Big Deal Days looked less like a spending spree and more like a stock-up opportunity.
Top Categories Dominating Prime Big Deal Days
Shoppers bought across diverse categories:
|
Categories |
Percentage of Prime Big Deal Days Buyers Reporting |
|
Apparel & Shoes |
26% |
|
Household Essentials |
26% |
|
Beauty & Cosmetics |
22% |
|
Health & Wellness |
21% |
|
Home Goods |
21% |
|
Pet Products |
15% |
|
Toys & Video Games |
14% |
|
Groceries |
14% |
|
Consumer Electronics |
13% |
|
Books, Videos & Media |
10% |
|
Small Appliances |
9% |
|
Tools & Home Improvement |
9% |
|
Smart Home Devices |
8% |
|
Office Supplies |
7% |
|
Baby Items |
6% |
|
Lawn & Garden |
5% |
The above doesn’t add up to 100% so what does the percentage represent? - Changed CR
Compared to Prime Day 2025
July’s Prime Day 2025 was the larger tentpole event:
- Average U.S. order size: $57.12 (Numerator, 2025)
- Average household spend: $156.37 (Numerator, 2025)
Big Deal Days, by contrast, saw smaller orders and more essential purchases.
What It Means for Brands
Shoppers are becoming more intentional, and that can create opportunities for brands who can:
- Lead with value: Messaging around savings, longevity, and usefulness resonates far more than impulse-driven “treat yourself” campaigns right now.
- Reframe essentials: Categories like home, health, and consumables performed well but brands in other categories could position their products as an everyday upgrade, not a luxury to try and attract consumers.
- Double down on trust signals: With smaller carts, shoppers favour listings with strong reviews and clear value.
- Keep content conversion-focused: A+ content, on-page videos, and deal badge optimisation drive conversions when spending is less.
- Plan for early holiday momentum: Even if consumers were more cautious this event, the event likely primed many for November shopping, especially if retargeted effectively through Amazon DSP.
Toucan’s Take
Big Deal Days 2025 may not have broken any spending records, but it did reaffirm one thing, Amazon’s mid-Q4 events are now a main part of the retail calendar, shaping consumer intent well before Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
For brands, the winners won’t just be those who chase discounts, it’ll be those who use events like Amazon Big Deal Days to build sustained visibility, refine creative, and leverage insights from every sale to fuel smarter campaigns through Q4 and use this information to drive results through Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the festive period.