Amazon Prime Day has become one of the most significant shopping events worldwide, offering incredible opportunities for businesses to boost their sales and brand awareness. In 2023, Prime Day broke all previous records, with over 375 million items purchased by more than 200 million Prime members across 25 countries. As we look ahead to future Prime Day events, it's crucial to understand how to make the most of this shopping extravaganza. In this article, we'll share our key takeaways from Amazon’s own advice to help you maximise your success on Prime Day. So, sit back, relax, and let's dive in!
Amazon Prime Day is an exclusive shopping extravaganza hosted by Amazon, offering irresistible deals and discounts exclusively to Prime members. With a staggering number of over 200 million Amazon Prime members worldwide, this event presents a golden opportunity for advertisers to build their brand, reach a vast audience, and raise brand awareness. It typically spans a 48-hour window and is recognised worldwide.
Prime Day has experienced exponential growth since its launch in 2015, evolving into a global phenomenon. In 2023, small and medium-sized businesses on Amazon surpassed £2.4 billion in sales during the event, highlighting its significance for businesses of all sizes. With £9.6 billion in total sales, 300 million items sold, and an impressive 100,000 items purchased per minute, Prime Day presents an unparalleled opportunity for sellers to increase their revenue and reach new customers.
Prime Day offers unparalleled opportunities for businesses to reach new customers and grow their brands. Advertising plays a crucial role in capturing shoppers' attention during this massive event. Without a doubt, joining the Prime Day bandwagon is a smart move if you want to maximise your returns.
A whopping 82% of surveyed shoppers are highly likely to discover new brands during Prime Day. Last year's Prime Day broke all records, with Prime members purchasing over 300 million items globally and saving over £1.36 billion GBP while doing so.
Your advertising efforts on Prime Day don't just end with the event itself; they have lasting effects. Surprisingly, 31% of surveyed shoppers are likely, or highly likely, to purchase the same product even after Prime Day ends, even if there's no deal. Leveraging Amazon Ads during this time can help you drive efficient omnichannel impact both on and off the Amazon platform, amplifying your sales and revenue.
To make the most of Prime Day, you need a solid strategy that covers all three phases - Prime Day Lead-Up, Prime Day, and Prime Day Lead-Out.
Before the event even begins, Prime Day shoppers are already engaging with Amazon, and researching products they want to buy on the day. This is your opportunity to showcase your brand and capture the attention of shoppers.
Prime Day goes live, attracting millions of users who are looking for the best deals. During this period, it's crucial to ensure your brand is prominently displayed, catching the eye of shoppers actively searching for discounts and offers.
Even after Prime Day concludes, shopper engagement continues, presenting a golden opportunity to reach both existing and new-to-brand customers. This phase allows you to remarket, engage, and nurture relationships with those who have been exposed to your brand messaging during the event.
When planning your advertising campaigns, carefully select the products you wish to promote. Did you know that ASINs (Amazon’s way of saying product) with a discount coupon advertised within a Sponsored Product Campaign see, on average, four times more ordered units than those without? It's a remarkable opportunity to drive sales.
Most importantly, ensure your budget is ready for Prime Day. As we mentioned earlier the research shows that 60% of customers actively research products in the lead-up to Prime Day before making a purchase. By planning in advance, you'll ensure your brand remains visible to potential customers throughout the shopping event.
To maximise your success on Prime Day, start by analysing your previous performance and setting achievable goals for the upcoming event. Utilise historical data to inform your inventory planning, marketing budget, and promotional strategies. Identify top-selling categories and products from past Prime Days to uncover potential growth opportunities. Consider expanding your product line or creating bundles that align with these trends. Begin the process early to ensure sufficient time for research, development, and sourcing.
In the lead-up to Prime Day, focus on optimising your product detail pages (PDPs) to drive conversions. Craft compelling product titles, showcase high-quality images, and include informative bullet points that highlight key features and benefits. Ensure that your products with Prime Day deals are well-stocked to meet the anticipated demand. By presenting your products in the best possible light, you'll be better positioned to attract and convert shoppers during the event.
During Prime Day, a staggering 82% of shoppers are likely to discover new brands. To seize this opportunity, you need to optimise your product listings. Consider using a dynamic bidding strategy to adjust bids based on performance, ensuring your campaign's effectiveness. We recommend using keywords (KW), Automatic and Manual targeting, and testing/trialling bid strategies, in tandem to help you reach a wider audience, and increase your chances of conversions.
Customers value convenience above all else, which is what Amazon’s platform provides in abundance, so be sure that your brand makes the customer purchase journey as easy as possible for shoppers.
Leverage static and video ad creative to capture the attention of new-to-brand customers in the lead-up to Prime Day. Feature your top-selling products and exclusive Prime Day deals in your ad creative and Amazon Store to engage shoppers and drive interest in your brand. By building brand awareness early, you'll be top-of-mind when consumers are ready to make their purchases during the event.
To ensure your campaigns run smoothly during Prime Day, familiarise yourself with the event-specific creative and ad policies. Pay close attention to common issues, such as price and product deal mismatches, as well as Prime Day messaging violations. By understanding and adhering to these guidelines, you can avoid moderation issues that could hinder your advertising efforts during this crucial time.
Take full advantage of the array of advertising tools provided by Amazon. Brands that use four or more Amazon Ad solutions experienced an impressive average sales growth of 73% YoY, with a 63% increase in new-to-brand growth.
As we keep mentioning, one of the best pieces of advice we can give is to not wait until Prime Day arrives; it’s best to start advertising well in advance. According to a recent Kantar survey, 75% of shoppers are highly likely to purchase a product during Prime Day that they discovered in the lead-up. Advertising both before and during Prime Day can significantly boost awareness and consideration for your brand. Sponsored Brands is an excellent tool that allows you to showcase your products in prominent placements on search results, particularly on mobile devices where it occupies more space.
With the influx of shoppers during Prime Day, it's essential to allocate an adequate budget to capitalise on the increased traffic. Consider doubling your normal advertising budget to ensure your campaigns remain competitive throughout the event. Additionally, start increasing your budget in the lead-up to Prime Day, as many consumers begin browsing and adding products to their carts well in advance. By allocating sufficient resources, you'll be better equipped to capture the attention of shoppers and drive sales during this high-volume period.
To gauge your success on Prime Day, it's crucial to track key metrics that provide insights into your performance. Metrics we highly recommend you take into consideration include click-through rate (CTR), advertising cost of sale (ACOS), new-to-brand metrics, return on ad spend (ROAS), and cost per click (CPC). Applying these KPIs to each phase of your campaign will help you to gain a clearer picture of your performance and identify areas for improvement.
View Prime Day as a valuable learning experience that helps you fine-tune your strategies and discover your own best practices. By doing so, you'll not only set yourself up for success in future Prime Days but also be well-prepared for other significant shopping events, such as Black Friday and Christmas. Prime Day is the perfect test run for optimising your advertising and sales approach.
Amazon Prime Day offers an unparalleled opportunity for sellers to boost their brand, drive sales, and increase revenue. By following some of the tips in this article, you'll be well-equipped to make the most of this highly anticipated shopping event. Remember to strategise, plan well ahead, optimise your advertising, and measure your performance to adapt and improve for future success. Prime Day is not just a one-time event; it's a stepping stone to greater achievements in the world of online selling. So off you go! Go make the best of Prime Day 2024!
Editor's note: This post was originally published in June 2023 and has been updated to ensure its relevance and accuracy as of May 2024.