So how was Prime Week 2025? It depends on who you ask. Amazon didn’t release numbers—just repeated its usual “best ever” line. Analyst reports were mixed: Momentum said it was down, Adobe said it was up.
Our take? Prime Week was up 10–15% compared to 2024. However, that average hides the wild perform swings we saw. Electronics and Toys were crushed due to tariffs and many brands scaled back plans this year.
We decided to dig in and find the brands that got it right regardless of category. Our research found a group of different brands that averaged 67% year-over-year Prime Day growth, far outpacing Amazon’s overall growth.
These brands were in a wide range of categories and price points, but our analysis found 6 common characteristics that set them apart:
1. Increased AMS Investment
Prime Days expanded from 2 to 4 days this year, and top brands responded accordingly—doubling their Amazon ad budgets for the week. Brands that didn’t increase their spend saw sales decline.
2. Bigger Budgets, Not Bigger Bids
Top performers boosted budgets but didn’t overspend on CPCs. Average CPCs rose 25–30% vs. 2024, but top brands kept their increases to 15–20%. Others who bid aggressively (30–40% increases) ended up capping out budgets and seeing less growth.
3. Dynamic Bidding Made The Difference
Pre-setting bids for Prime Day isn’t enough. The best-performing brands used automation to adjust bids dynamically throughout the week, tracking daily shifts in buyer behavior. Those who didn’t? They missed the key buying windows.
4. Friday Was the Big Day
Top brands saw Friday as the strongest sales day—and allocated their highest ad spend accordingly. In contrast, underperformers spread their spend evenly Tuesday through Friday, even though Wednesday and Thursday showed 10–20% sales dips.
5. Cross-Platform Promotions
Prime Day isn’t just for Amazon anymore. Retailers across the board run parallel promotions. Top brands timed pricing and promos across Amazon, DTC sites, and retailers for maximum impact.
Our favorite example? A major national brand launched a sitewide/direct sale starting Friday, July 11, with Amazon pricing aligned. Sales surged the final day, delivering 70%+ growth and carrying momentum through the weekend.
6. Broad Advertising Footprint
Top performers didn’t just lean on branded keywords and sponsored product ads —they spent 30% more on non-branded terms and had a higher share of Sponsored Brand and Display ads. They let the Amazon engine handle brand defense while they focused on prospecting.
The Takeaway
Yes, it cost more to succeed on Amazon this Prime Week. But with a clear plan, aligned ad strategy, and adaptive campaign management, the winners saw big results.
That’s where Swell Media and Yeoman comes in. We specialize in Amazon, Walmart, Target, and all major retail platforms. Whether you’re 1P or 3P, our strategy, creative, and marketing execution deliver results.
Learn why top-performing brands work with Swell and Yeoman.