Amazon says it had its biggest Prime day event ever this year
NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon said Thursday it had its biggest Prime day event ever this year.
The e-commerce company, as in past years, did not reveal how much money it earned during the two-day sales event, which took place on Tuesday and Wednesday and offered a plethora of deals on electronics, home goods and other items.
But Amazon touted 375 million items that it says were purchased worldwide by Prime members, who pay $14.99 per month or $139 per year, for different perks including faster shipping. It also said sales growth for independent sellers on Amazon outpaced the company's retail business during the discount event.
“The first day of Prime Day was the largest sales day in Amazon’s history, and Prime members saved more this year than any other Prime Day event,” Doug Herrington, an Amazon executive who oversees the company’s online and mobile shopping, said in a prepared statement.
Some outside groups also reported a bump in overall e-commerce sales during Amazon's event. Adobe Analytics data showed U.S. online sales reached $12.7 billon on the two shopping days, up 6.1% compared to a year ago.