In a recent episode of Human in the Loop, Cameron Yoder and Laura dove deep into the data from Amazon’s “Prime Big Deal Days.” This follow-up event to the famous Prime Day has become an important sales period for Amazon sellers, especially those in specific categories. However, this year’s event faced several unique challenges that impacted overall performance. Let’s break down the key takeaways from their conversation and explore the insights and strategies shared.

A Softer Prime Big Deal Days Event

This year’s Prime Big Deal Days, which took place on October 8th and 9th, was a bit softer compared to past years. Various external factors played a role, most notably Hurricane Milton, which hit during the event and caused mass evacuations across the southeast U.S., and the looming election. Laura mentioned that these societal events diverted consumer attention away from shopping, leading to reduced sales.

Key categories like electronics, beauty, and skincare still saw solid performance, but overall, traffic was down 6% compared to last year’s event. This was especially notable on day two, where traffic dipped further after a stronger day one, a trend often seen in these multi-day events.

Advertising Costs Are Rising—Even With Lower Traffic

Despite the softer traffic, costs per click (CPC) surged, increasing by 16% year over year. Laura explained that the rise in CPCs on day two suggests that advertisers may have become more aggressive after seeing softer performance on day one. Brands likely pushed bids to capture more visibility and try to salvage their performance as the event continued. This aggressiveness, coupled with lower traffic, led to increased costs and lower advertising efficiency.

Interestingly, even though traffic was down, CPCs went up, showing just how competitive the landscape is becoming—even when consumers are less engaged.

Ad Sales Performance

Ad sales during Prime Big Deal Days were also softer, dropping by 12% compared to last year. This decrease outpaced the 6% decline in traffic, indicating that conversion rates and average order values were also down slightly. Laura highlighted how these factors, combined with the increase in CPCs, had a direct impact on overall efficiency for sellers.

Despite the softer results, it’s important to note that Prime Big Deal Days still performed better than an average day on Amazon, reinforcing that while this event was less successful compared to last year, it remains a valuable sales period for many brands.

Strategic Insights for Sellers

One of the most interesting takeaways from the episode was the discussion around advertising strategy leading up to major sales events. Laura emphasized the value of targeting shoppers in the days leading up to Prime Big Deal Days, when CPCs are lower and consumers are doing their research. By getting in front of consumers early, brands can set themselves up for success when the actual event days arrive.

However, she also warned that brands need to adjust their expectations during this pre-event period, as conversion rates will naturally be lower. The key is to foster the consumer journey, knowing that the payoff will come on the event days when shoppers are ready to convert.

What’s Next? Cyber Weekend and Holiday Shopping

As we move into the heart of Q4, all eyes are on Cyber Weekend and the holiday shopping season. Laura and Cameron discussed what the softer performance of Prime Big Deal Days means for the upcoming events. While this event was softer, Laura doesn’t expect the same for Cyber Weekend. In fact, she predicts stronger year-over-year sales but cautions that CPCs will continue to rise faster than sales, meaning brands will need to stay on top of their ad strategies to remain competitive.

Additionally, with Amazon’s recent announcements at their Unboxed event—particularly the introduction of audience bid modifiers—advertisers have new tools at their disposal to better target qualified traffic during major events. This feature could prove crucial in helping brands achieve greater visibility and efficiency during the competitive holiday season.

Conclusion

Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days provided valuable insights into consumer behavior and advertising trends leading into the crucial Q4 period. While external events like Hurricane Milton and the election took a toll on sales this year, brands can still learn from this data to refine their strategies for the upcoming holiday season. By getting in front of consumers earlier, staying competitive with their bids, and utilizing new tools like audience bid modifiers, sellers can position themselves for success in what’s shaping up to be a busy holiday period.

Whether you’re a seasoned Amazon seller or just getting started, understanding these trends and adapting your advertising strategies will be key to maximizing your performance during the most important sales periods of the year.

Key Takeaways:

• Traffic during Prime Big Deal Days was down 6% year-over-year, but CPCs rose 16%.

• Ad sales dropped by 12%, driven by lower conversion rates and average order values.

• Pre-event advertising can be a strategic time to capture consumers early, but requires adjusted expectations for conversion.

• Cyber Weekend is expected to be stronger than Prime Big Deal Days, with rising CPCs and competitive ad landscapes.

• Amazon’s new tools, such as audience bid modifiers, offer fresh opportunities to improve targeting and efficiency in Q4.

By analyzing this data and preparing accordingly, sellers can navigate the challenges and opportunities of Q4 with confidence!

Want to hear more?

Catch the full conversation on the latest episode of Human in the Loop.

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