Prime Days 2025: the great non-purchase becomes the norm

The great Prime Days non-purchase

Flash offers, staggered discounts, the artificial scarcity countdown. Amazon Prime Days 2025 have come and gone, but a growing share of consumers are responding with a simple gesture: not buying. According to reactions across various consumer spaces, the trend suggests the shopping fever is cooling, and not just because of tight budgets.

The silent boycott of shopping events

While Amazon deploys its marketing machinery, a wave of users report having bought zero items, or only the essentials: a mesh system to improve wifi coverage, a docking station they already needed, a mid-range phone. No overflowing carts or last-minute orders. The recurring argument is that the deals aren't real, or that induced consumption doesn't justify the effort of a purchase. Some even express rejection of the platform as a corporate entity, linking it to an economic model they consider harmful.

Prime fatigue?

This isn't the first time such apathy has been observed, but the volume of critical voices is growing. The event, which in its early editions managed to sell out stock in minutes, now faces a more skeptical audience. Those who did buy did so tactically: what they needed, with a decent discount, no frills. Average spending seems to have dropped, and the most mentioned items are low-value ones, like cables or technical sheets.

The underlying problem: are the deals worth it?

The before-and-during price comparison of Prime Days is already a classic. Many consumers have learned to track price histories and can spot when a discount is fake. Trust is eroding and skepticism is becoming the dominant stance. The open question is whether Amazon can reverse this trend or whether the "Prime Day" label will keep gaining trinc as the day for those who don't take the bait.

The answer, judging by this edition's behavior, doesn't look good for Jeff Bezos's ambitions.