Amazon’s new AI tool, Alexa for Shopping, could be a big factor during this week’s key Prime Day event.
Consumers are getting more comfortable using AI to help them with their shopping choices, and Amazon is raising the stakes during the summer sale, kicking off Tuesday and running through Friday.
For shoe brands, sneaker deals and affordable flip-flop sandals were hot last year, and they could be the key shoe categories this year too. Prime Day deals for shoe brands on Tuesday, the opening day of the four-day event, include a number of specials from brands that include Adidas, Nike, Puma Golf, Skechers, Sperry, Tommy Hilfiger and Vans, among others.
For men, the deals include a Wally Amazon exclusive at $48.99 from the list price of $69.99; a Lite Racer Adapt 7.0 running shoe from Adidas at $35.69 from $70; and the 410 V8 Trail Running shoe from New Balance at $41.99 from $69.
For women, examples of deals include the Revolution 8 Road running shoe from Nike at $52.50 from $70; the Emslie Warren zipper ankle boot from Clarks at $26.08 from $48.24; a hands free slip-ins Work Squad sneaker from Skechers at $45.18 from $59.65.
Prime Day kids shoes include a unisex Flex Runner 4 running shoe from Nike at $32.97 from $52, the Assert 10 Alternate Closure shoe from Under Armour at $28.59 from $55; and the X_PLR Path shoe from Adidas at $24.37 from $55.
According to a recent AlixPartners In-Home Delivery survey, 43 percent of consumer respondents — including fashion and shoppers — said they were very comfortable using AI for recommendations of products while they browsed, with 28 percent noting they were somewhat comfortable. (Only eight percent said they were very uncomfortable using AI for product recommendations.)
In addition, thirty-seven said they were very comfortable using AI to answer questions about product they wished to buy, with 35 percent said they were somewhat comfortable. Just six percent said they were very uncomfortable using AI to obtain answers to product questions.
With 38 percent of consumers noting that Amazon is their most-preferred delivery service, Prime Day members for the first time can now use Alexa for Shopping. Launched in May, the tool is the market platform’s AI assistant for personalized help in researching products, tracking deals, comparing items side-by-side and checking product reviews. Alexa replaces Rufus, the generative AI-powered expert shopping assistant introduced in February 2024.
Adobe on Monday released its annual shopping report for the Prime Day event, with expectations that traffic from generative AI sources to U.S. retail sites will increase by approximately 103 percent, versus June levels a year ago.
“The continued growth shows consumers are relying on AI to quickly surface deals and product information during high-stakes shopping events,” Adobe said.
Adobe’s survey of 5,000 consumers found that 39 percent of consumers say they have used AI before for online shopping, with 85 percent saying it has improved their experience.
“These figures highlight the durable value that AI is delivery in the e-commerce space, shortening the time it takes for consumers to find what they need or locate relevant discounts,” Adobe said.
Overall, the software giant is forecasting that the biggest discounts will appear across apparel at 23 percent, down slightly from 24 percent a year ago. Most online spending, or 59 percent, is projected to occur during the first two days of the four-day shopping event, and the average daily online spend during Prime Day is expected to be 84 percent higher than the overall average daily spending in June.
In general, Adobe expects that U.S. retailers will drive a record $26.3 billion in online spend this week, representing 9 percent growth year-over-year. Whenever Prime Days occur, other retailers offer competing discounts on goods.
The Prime event is also expected to be driven in part by back-to-school (bts) shopping, Adobe predicted. Back-to-school purchases include apparel, shoes and other school necessities. And a new 2026 parent survey from TeacherLists found that 37 percent of families, up 3 percent from 2025, plan to use Amazon Prime Day, along with competing Walmart Deal Days and Target Circle Week, to help offset bts costs. Value was the key theme last year for bts and it likely will be a key focus again this year.
The focus on Amazon Prime also could play a key role in projecting outlook for holiday sales. Last year, Circana’s footwear and accessories industry advisor Beth Goldstein said that a strong back-to-school selling season for footwear could mean the same for the holiday period.
Separately, a study from Tinuiti earlier this year of 1,000 U.S. Amazon Prime members found that over half at 56 percent plan to purchase fashion items during the Prime event.
And in terms of what makes Prime Day a good shopping opportunity, 33 percent said they need to see a product discounted by at least 30 percent. Twenty-nine percent said they are happy with a discount of 20 percent, while another 20 percent of respondents say they need to see a discount of 50 percent or more.
