Amazon Prime Day runs this week from 23 to 26 June. For sellers, it’s no longer a single spike but a mini-peak. The question is: how do you make it work for your business, rather than just for Amazon?
It’s not about the biggest discount
Catherine Frame, director of retail solutions at UiPath, says success comes down to relevance, not race‑to‑the‑bottom pricing. “The brands that perform best aren’t necessarily the ones with the biggest discounts – they’re the ones whose products show up in the right place, for the right customer, at a moment of genuine intent,” she says.
David Jennison, Managing Director, Europe, Pattern, agrees. Visibility — and how platforms decide it — matters as much as the offer: “Winning peak season isn’t just about discounting harder – it’s about performing better within the systems that shape buying decisions. From marketplaces to AI-driven search and emerging agentic tools, algorithms amplify what’s already working.
He adds: “Prime Day is a clear example: brands with strong fundamentals – from product data to reviews and conversion signals build momentum quickly, while others struggle to gain visibility. In many ways, winning the peak now means winning the algorithm.”
The real risk: selling more, earning less
The bigger challenge is making sure Prime Day drives growth, not just a short-term spike. As Frame puts it: “The harder question every retailer should be asking is who they’re actually discounting for. If the activity is primarily shifting lines that weren’t moving, that’s a stock management decision dressed up as a promotional strategy. It might solve a short-term problem, but it doesn’t build anything.”
That leads directly to the question of incrementality. “Is this discount bringing in a customer who wouldn’t otherwise have bought, or is it simply pulling forward a purchase from someone who was already going to convert, at a margin you didn’t need to give away? Most brands don’t have a clear answer to that question, and without it, Prime Day participation becomes a habit rather than strategy,” Frame says.
Training customers to wait
As mini-peaks stack up — Prime Day, Black Friday, Boxing Day — shoppers get used to waiting. That has a long-term cost.
“A customer who only engages during discount windows is worth a fraction of one who buys regularly at full price. If mini peaks are consistently the primary acquisition and re-engagement mechanic, the long-term economics of that customer base are quietly deteriorating even when the top-line numbers look health,” Frame says.
A signal about where retail is going
Beyond the event itself, Prime Day is also a marker of change. Daniel Wagner, CEO and Founder, Rezolve Ai, says the growing role of AI in shopping is impossible to ignore: “When Amazon centres its biggest commercial moment around AI shopping tools, it is a major statement about the direction of retail. Since ChatGPT was released in 2022, conversational AI has moved from a novelty to mainstream commerce infrastructure.
He adds: “The retail industry has seen its fair share of change, but it’s never before contended with a shift this fundamental and fast. The promise of better conversion and top line growth means the industry is adapting at pace. Now, retailers need to act by securing control of their customer relationships, ensuring their brand shows up correctly, and eliminating the risk of AI hallucinations.”
The bottom line is that Prime Day can still deliver — but only if it’s treated as more than just a discount event. Retailers that ‘win’ Prime Day will be those who show up clearly in search, understand who they are discounting for, and protect their margins. Anything else risks chasing volume while quietly eroding value.
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