Prime Day 2024: A $127B U.S. Shopper Spree, Fueled by Chinese Brands

The tenth annual Prime Day in July 2024 became Amazon’s biggest-ever event, spanning 23 countries and selling over 200 million items—with third-party sellers, many from China, accounting for a lion’s share. U.S. consumers alone spent $127 billion over two days, up 6.1% year-on-year, while new Prime sign-ups hit a pre-event record. Chinese brands like audio manufacturer EarFun and outdoor gear brand Lock Brothers exemplified the momentum: EarFun saw a 6x daily sales jump in the U.S. and Europe, with one headset selling 13,000 units in 48 hours, while Lock Brothers earned $1.5 million across 欧美站点，leveraging Amazon’s discount tools and targeted ads.

Such success underscores Amazon’s role as a global launchpad for 中小商家. In 2022, U.S. third-party sellers—60% of whom are SMEs—sold 4.1 billion products on the platform, creating 1.5 million jobs. By 2024, Chinese sellers on Amazon saw a 20% year-on-year sales surge, with those earning over $10 million growing 30%. “Prime Day isn’t just a sale—it’s a brand reset,” said EarFun’s North America head, noting post-event traffic retention through sustained ads.

Retail Dominance: 37.6% North American Share, AI-Driven Efficiency

Amazon’s retail 护城河 remains intact, holding 37.6% of the North American e-commerce market in 2023, thanks to its $50 billion logistics network (70% faster and cheaper than peers) and AI-powered shopping tools. The launch of Amazon Haul—a低价子-site for fashion and home goods—targets emerging competitors like Temu and TikTok Shop, offering $5-$20 items to retain price-sensitive shoppers. Meanwhile, AI assistant Rufus now powers 40% of product searches, cutting decision time by 30% via natural language parsing (e.g., turning “waterproof Bluetooth speaker for camping” into direct product links).

Profit margins tell the story: retail margins rose to 6.3% in 2024, entering a “post-investment harvest phase,” while AWS—still the profit engine with 31% global cloud share—hit a 37% operating margin, boosted by AI integrations like the DeepSeek-R1 model for enterprise customers.

Challenges: Counterfeit Risks and Seller Diversification

Yet, cracks appear. A 2025 incident in Germany revealed Amazon’s own store selling a counterfeit AMD chip—an FX-4100 disguised as a 9800X3D—exposing gaps in its return-refund system. Such cases, though rare, threaten trust, prompting Amazon to pilot AI-powered packaging scans and blockchain 溯源 for high-ticket items.

Meanwhile, sellers are diversifying. While 81% of U.S. shoppers still prioritize Amazon for Prime Day, brands like Lock Brothers now blend Amazon with TikTok and Instagram ads, citing “omnichannel necessity.” “Amazon is our base, but growth requires visibility everywhere,” said the brand’s CEO.

Outlook: Balancing Scale and Agility

As Amazon invests $10 billion in AI and logistics for 2025—including expanding same-day delivery to 90% of U.S. households—the company’s retail-sales growth (81.9% of total revenue) hinges on two pillars: retaining Prime’s 300 million global members via convenience and fostering SME loyalty through tools like the $1 billion Small Business Accelerator. With overseas 电商渗透率 still under 20% in key markets, the next frontier? Converting “occasional shoppers” into Prime loyalists—one AI recommendation, one 48-hour delivery, and one counterfeit-free purchase at a time.

(Data as of March 2025, compiled from Amazon filings, Adobe Analytics, and seller interviews)