In this episode of Upside, Ali & Zamir dive into Amazon’s second Prime Day of the year, an event that sparks more debate than excitement. Is it a genuine opportunity for shoppers and sellers, or a manufactured moment designed to inflate demand ahead of the holidays? The duo unpacks the origins of October Prime Day, born in the pandemic, the psychology behind early gift-buying, and the blurred line between real deals and retail theatre.

What’s Covered in This Episode

Once seen as an exclusive sales holiday, Prime Day has evolved into a twice-yearly event that some argue has lost its edge. Ali & Zamir trace its roots back to 2020, when Amazon introduced an October edition to offset supply chain disruptions, a move that has since become a fixture in the retail calendar.They explore why shoppers’ trust in deal days has waned, and how consumer behaviour has shifted toward early gifting, especially for men’s products, based on sales data trends. The discussion also turns to the sellers’ side: how brands that didn’t participate can still extract value from Prime Day by analysing category spikes, testing promotions, and using data to inform Q4 strategy.Throughout, they question whether these orchestrated shopping frenzies truly deliver savings or simply reshape buying patterns, and how savvy sellers can turn the hype to their advantage.

Key Takeaways

• Prime Day fatigue is real: The twice-yearly format has diluted excitement and increased consumer skepticism.
• A pandemic invention: The October edition began in 2020 as a logistical fix and became a permanent retail play.
• Early holiday momentum: Data shows Prime Day gift purchases skew male-heavy, hinting at emerging shopper trends.
• Missed Prime Day? No problem: Use Q4 promotions to gather data, benchmark competitors, and prepare for next year.
• The illusion of savings: Many discounts are relative to inflated prices; smart shoppers and sellers read the fine print.
• Sales spikes ≠ growth: A strong Prime Day does not always translate into higher monthly revenue; context is everything.