With 27% year-on-year growth and a 128% increase in first-time Amazon customers, Prime Day 2025 has firmly cemented its place as one of the most important Ecommerce events on the Australian retail calendar.
We saw a surge in brand participation, higher-than-usual conversion rates, and increasingly sophisticated advertising strategies driving strong results across the board. For many brands, Prime Day 2025 was more than a mid-year spike – it was a strategic milestone.
Here’s a breakdown of what stood out in 2025, and what brands should take into the second half of the year.
The Top Brands Went All-In
This year, 93 of the top 100 brands on Amazon Australia activated special offers during Prime Day – the highest participation rate seen to date. Even category leaders that have historically avoided discounting chose to engage, recognising the event as a high-intent moment for both revenue and reach.
This year, it wasn’t just about promotions. Prime Day was an opportunity to defend market share, test new-to-brand acquisition tactics, and build campaign momentum heading into peak season.
Beauty Leads the Pack, But All Categories Benefitted
Beauty was the standout performer during Prime Day 2025, with many brands seeing performance increases between 300% and 500% compared to their average trading days.
Notably, brands that didn’t run deals also saw significant lifts – a clear sign that the halo effect of Prime Day traffic is real. With millions of shoppers browsing at once, the brands that showed up with strong advertising, stock availability, and conversion-ready listings benefited regardless of discount strategy.
Peak Shopping Happened in the Evenings
The majority of daily sales occurred between 7pm and 11pm, accounting for nearly 30% of total performance. These peak evening hours highlight the importance of mobile-first shopping behaviour and suggest that after-work browsing is a key driver of Prime Day sales.
Day 1 also delivered the highest returns, with ad-attributed sales outperforming Day 2 and Day 3 combined. For brands, that means campaign success often hinges on how well prepared they are from the moment Prime Day begins – not just midway through.
Conversions Surged as Shoppers Came Prepared
Conversion rates jumped by 55% across participating brands, even as average basket size remained steady. This signals a more decisive, purchase-ready audience – shoppers arrived at Prime Day knowing what they wanted and acted quickly.
For brands, that means investing in high-converting product detail pages, clear messaging, and strong inventory planning pays off when shopper intent is high.
Advertising Budgets Are Shifting – And So Are Tactics
Budgets for Prime Day now rival or exceed Black Friday and Cyber Monday spend among many brands. Sponsored Product Ads remained the top-performing format, driving around 80% of total ad-attributed sales.
At the same time, competition increased. Sponsored Brand CPCs rose 47% compared to the prior week, as more brands competed for high-visibility placements.
What made the difference wasn’t just how much brands spent, but when and where they spent it. As fatigue set in by Day 3, top performers paused retargeting efforts and shifted to urgency messaging or new customer acquisition strategies.
The Brands That Prepared, Won
This year’s performance confirmed that Prime Day is no longer just about deep discounts. It’s a critical opportunity to reach an engaged, purchase-ready audience at scale – and success depends on preparation.
Winning brands entered the event with:
- Well-forecasted stock positions
- Conversion-optimised listings
- Flexible, data-led ad strategies
- A readiness to adapt to shifting performance trends in real-time
With Prime Day wrapped, the focus now turns to maintaining momentum through Click Frenzy, and the lead-up to Black Friday and beyond.
Ready to maximise your next campaign?
Whether you want to unpack your Prime Day performance or need a partner to help you scale results through the rest of 2025, we’re here to help.
Get in touch with our team to start planning your peak season strategy.
