Amazon India marks fastest Prime Day ever with rise in tier 2 and tier 3 demand

Amazon India has concluded its 10th edition of Prime Day, registering its fastest delivery performance to date in the country. The event was characterized by a significant shift in consumer demographics, with a substantial portion of growth and new Prime memberships originating from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities such as Hoshiarpur, Ujjain, and Dharwad.

The shopping event also saw record participation from small and medium businesses (SMBs), alongside a distinct trend toward premium product categories.

Delivery Speeds and Product Diversity

Prime members utilized fast delivery options for a broader variety of goods beyond daily essentials.

• Amazon Now Performance: Nearly half of the orders placed via Amazon Now consisted of non-grocery items, including cameras and personal care appliances. Members received free delivery on orders above ₹99, alongside specific cashback incentives and zero fees.
• Logistics Surge: Same-day deliveries increased more than threefold compared to the previous Prime Day, with 1 in 4 orders reaching customers on the same day. Additionally, more than half of all orders were delivered before the conclusion of the event.

Premiumisation Across Categories

Data from the event indicates a growing consumer preference for premium and higher-end brands across multiple lifestyle and entertainment segments:

• Beauty and Grooming: Premium beauty products—encompassing skincare, haircare, fragrances, and makeup—grew 3X year-over-year (YoY). Premium grooming appliances priced above ₹2,500 doubled their YoY sales.
• Home Entertainment: Demand shifted toward larger screens, with premium televisions priced above ₹35,000 growing 2X YoY, led by models 65 inches and above.
• Travel: Premium luggage grew 1.5X YoY, driven by brands such as Samsonite, Delsey Paris, Swiss Military, and Victorinox.

Non-Metro Growth and Aspirational Shopping

Aspirational buying patterns extended significantly beyond major metropolitan areas, with Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities driving substantial volume in premium segments.

• Two-Wheelers: The category grew 1.65X YoY. Notably, premium motorcycles priced above ₹1.5 lakh—from brands including Harley-Davidson, KTM, Triumph, and Royal Enfield—surged 2.3X YoY. Consumers from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities accounted for 70% of the buyers for Harley-Davidson, KTM, and Triumph.
• Home & Kitchen: International home and kitchen brands recorded a 4.5X YoY growth in Tier 2 and Tier 3 locations, outpacing the national average for the category.

Smart Home Technology and AI Adoption

Connected devices and intelligent home solutions saw increased adoption during the sales event.

• AI PCs: One in five Windows laptops sold during the event was an AI-powered PC.
• Smart Appliances: New-age kitchen products, including robotic vacuums, coffee machines, and ice makers, grew 4.3X YoY. Smart water purifiers also saw a 2X increase in customer acquisition.

Manu Sharma, Managing Director of Dreame India, stated that the brand’s robotic vacuum portfolio grew by over 200% YoY during the event, reflecting a steady consumer shift toward high-performance home automation solutions ahead of the festive season.

Payment Flexibility and Business Procurement

Convenient financing options played a key role in facilitating high-value purchases. Nearly half of the shoppers utilized Amazon Pay. One in four purchases across major electronics categories—such as mobiles, TVs, and large appliances—were made via Equated Monthly Installments (EMIs), with 80% opting for No-Cost EMI. Furthermore, interest-free installments through Amazon Pay Later grew over 2.5X YoY.

On the B2B front, Amazon Business reported a 3.6X increase in new customer sign-ups and a 10X spike in Prime registrations. Bulk deals grew nearly 7X, heavily led by commercial procurement of laptops, televisions, and headphones.

SMB Participation

Prime Day 2026 recorded its highest-ever SMB engagement, with a record number of sellers crossing ₹10 lakh in sales. More than two-thirds of these participating small and medium businesses were located in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.

Entertainment Releases

In tandem with the shopping event, Prime Video released a global slate of Indian and international titles. The Prime Original series Raakh, an investigative crime thriller, emerged as a major viewership driver, marking the platform’s biggest debut for a Prime Original series in the last two years.

The series maintained the number one spot as the most-watched non-English series worldwide for three consecutive weeks, streaming in 198 countries and territories. Overall, Indian-language titles released for the Prime Day lineup attracted viewership from over 207 countries and territories.

Akshay Sahi, Vice President – Prime & Customer Fulfilment Experience, India and Emerging Countries, Amazon said:

We love helping our customers save big, and Prime Day is the ultimate celebration of value, fast deliveries, great deals, new launches and blockbuster entertainment that the Prime membership provides. And the 10th edition of Prime Day is a milestone we’re proud to celebrate with our sellers, partners and millions of customers across the country. This was our fastest Prime Day ever, where in cities with Amazon Now, one in two items on deal were delivered in just minutes. We also saw the highest-ever participation of small and medium businesses, reaffirming that Prime Day is as much a celebration for our sellers as it is for our customers.