You are what you buy. If that\u2019s true, Americans have revealed a lot about what\u2019s meaningful to them during Amazon Prime Day\u2019s two-day online shopping festival on July 11 and 12. <\/p>\n
The top five items: Temptations cat treats, Amazon Fire TV Sticks, Liquid I.V. packets, Apple Watch Series 8 and Melissa & Doug toys, according to Numerator, a consumer data and analytics company.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a very eclectic collection,\u201d said Charles D. Lindsey, associate professor of marketing at the University of Buffalo. Like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Prime Day gives people an opportunity to purchase big-ticket items like electronics \u2014 many of which are promoted heavily by the online retail giant \u2014 while the popularity of cat treats reflects the rise in and importance of pet ownership during the pandemic, he added.<\/p>\n
The most popular purchases offer an insight into the priorities of U.S. consumers three years after a pandemic upended people\u2019s lives \u2014 at least for those who can afford to shop, consumer psychologists and marketing experts say. Nearly 9 in 10 Prime Day shoppers said they were longtime members of Amazon Prime Those shopping on Amazon Prime Day \u2014 and those purchasing items from rival retailers like Walmart It\u2019s clear the dog days of summer have proved a boon for cats. So what about those cat treats? <\/p>\n There was a surge in pet adoptions during the pandemic. Then, when many people returned to away-from-home workplaces, animal shelters reported an increase in people returning their pets. Owners were feeling challenged to arrange and afford care for their pets, and that was compounded by the effects of inflation.<\/p>\n \u201cCats,\u201d though, \u201care low-maintenance,\u201d Sharmin Attaran, a professor of marketing and director of the digital marketing program at Bryant University in Smithfield, R.I., told MarketWatch. \u201cThe popularity of Temptations cat treats shows the really significant role that pets play in the lives of American consumers. They\u2019re also willing to prioritize high-quality treats. We saw a rise in pet ownership during COVID. Cats are easier to take care of and are more independent than dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n \n \u201c<\/span>It\u2019s clear the dog days of summer have proved a boon for cats.\u201d<\/span>\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The willingness among owners to prioritize pets and their needs appeared, at least anecdotally, to surge during the long and lonely early days of the pandemic.<\/p>\n But the relationship between people and their pets has not always been a smooth one over the last three years, researchers say. While dog walks provided people with an outlet during the early days of the pandemic, a study published in the journal Animals last October concluded that pets have also been a source of stress for many owners during this period.\u00a0<\/p>\n One survey respondent reflected on their pets interrupting their work: \u201cOur cats can be very vocal when they want stuff, so that can get irritating when working. Our dog barks whenever people walk by, so that gets distracting while working as well.\u201d<\/p>\n With that in mind, it pays to keep them happy. \u201cSeeing something as seemingly odd as cat food does make sense to me,\u201d said Benjamin Wright, a professor in the marketing department at American University in Washington, D.C. \u201cCat food is something you\u2019re going to buy a lot of, so if you can get it delivered, and delivered for free? I see why people are making that choice.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLiquid I.V. is a bit of an oddball,\u201d Lindsey said. Liquid I.V. \u2014 a powder to help with hydration, and another top-five item during Prime Day \u2014 is used by athletes and people who want to stay hydrated and\/or need to rehydrate. It\u2019s also used as a hangover cure, he said. But he does not read too much into the latter. \u201cIt\u2019s summer, and people are trying to stay hydrated,\u201d Lindsey said.<\/p>\n Indeed, a recent report by Goldman Sachs found that beer and liquor sales do not tend to be dramatically impacted by a rise or fall in economic growth. During a recession or times of economic contraction, however, the Goldman Marketing obviously plays a part. Attaran recently received a free Liquid I.V. in a goodie bag from Whole Foods. \u201cI\u2019ve never had one before,\u201d she said. \u201cConsumers place importance on health, awareness of proper hydration and how important it is.\u201d<\/p>\n The product appears well-positioned for a revenge-travel, post-lockdown world. (Its slogan: \u201cFueling life\u2019s adventures!\u201d)\u00a0<\/p>\n Minding one\u2019s hydration is an easy way to stay healthy, and it helps reduce the level of sodium in your body. A National Institutes of Health study published earlier this year in the journal\u00a0eBioMedicine found that adults who stay well-hydrated \u201cappear to be healthier, develop fewer chronic conditions, such as heart and lung disease, and live longer compared to those who may not get sufficient fluids.\u201d <\/p>\n Prime Day was an opportunity for those feeling burned as retail prices have climbed over the past couple of years. \u201cIn an event typically dominated by electronics, we instead saw many shoppers stocking up on everyday essentials like pet food or pantry staples,\u201d said Amanda Schoenbauer, a Numerator analyst. Many people demonstrated a desire to save money on everyday purchases and held off on buying big-ticket items.<\/p>\n Americans do appear to be feeling more confident about cash outlays, though. U.S. consumers spent $12.7 billion on online purchases over the July 11\u201312 period, up more than 6% from last year, according to an analysis of over a trillion visits to online stores by Adobe Analytics \u201cConsumers have felt the effects of persistent inflation and an uncertain economic environment, and it has pushed shoppers to embrace more flexible ways to manage their spending,\u201d said Vivek Pandya, lead analyst at Adobe Digital Insights. Wholesale-level inflation slowed in June to the lowest rate since 2021, but analysts say that may not stop the U.S. Federal Reserve from raising rates.<\/p>\n But people were also buying on buy-now-pay-later plans. BNPL, as such plans are sometimes called, accounted for 6.5% of online orders, equating to $927 million in revenue, up 20% from 2022, Pandya said. BNPL is driven by essentials, including apparel, furniture and home items, and electronics. It also provides a preview of how people will spend and what they buy during the holiday season, Pandya added.<\/p>\n That the Apple Watch Ditto Amazon\u2019s Fire Stick, a media streaming device. Americans want an on-demand, personalized viewing experience, and this is a direct result of the surge in cord cutting. Total pay-TV subscribership in the U.S. and linear-television subscribers have fallen by millions over the last year, continuing a growing trend over the last decade.\u00a0<\/p>\n But the real charm lies in Melissa & Doug toys, which are made from sustainable materials, Attaran said. \u201cI have two kids. I totally get it,\u201d she said. \u201cI buy all their stuff. This highlights traditional hands-on experiences for kids. Even with the rise in digital entertainment with the Fire Stick, we still value imaginative play and the cognitive development of children.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s also good timing: Most children are at home during the summer, and they need distractions. Attaran\u2019s daughter received a Melissa & Doug pasta set made of felt when she was 2 years old. \u201cShe still plays with it at age 5,\u201d she said. \u201cIt lasts a long time, and she can play at being a restaurant owner or a chef.\u201d<\/p>\n And as with most online toy sales: \u201cYou\u2019re not paying the toy-store markup.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n AMZN,
\n
\n which costs $139 a year or $15 a month to join.<\/p>\n
\n WMT,
\n
\n and Target
\n TGT,
\n
\n which have their own summer discount events to rival Prime Day \u2014 were, it seemed, gung-ho for convenience, connection, cord cutting, children and, yes, cats. These consumers are seeking meaningful experiences online \u2014 and in real time.<\/p>\nHigh-quality cat treats<\/strong><\/h2>\n
The importance of hydration\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n GS,
\n
\n report said that people tend to drink at home, which provides a cheaper alternative to boozing in restaurants and bars.<\/p>\nBurned by higher prices<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n ADBE,
\n
\n Electronics topped the list, followed by apparel, toys, home goods and furniture, computers, appliances, sporting goods, and TVs.<\/p>\nWearable tech and cord cutting<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n AAPL,
\n
\n topped the list of Prime Day purchases was \u2014 for most observers \u2014 a no-brainer. \u201cThe Apple Watch reflects America\u2019s fascination with wearable technology and how we can integrate these devices into our daily life,\u201d Attaran said. \u201cIt can be like your personal assistant. I always feel like Inspector Gadget talking to my watch, and telling it to do things for me.\u201d<\/p>\n