U.S. shoppers grappled with tighter budgets during Amazon’s annual sales event, Prime Day, spending more than $26.4 billion over the four days from June 23 through June 26, according to Adobe Analytics.

The multibillion-dollar total marked a 9.3% year-over-year increase. Retail experts attributed the spending increase to a mix of still-high inflation and shoppers’ preference for longer-lasting purchases—like electronics, toys, appliances, and personal care items—during the event.

Adobe said the discounts encouraged buyers to move toward higher-priced categories. It reported that discounts during Prime Day were roughly in line with last year: electronics averaged 24% off versus 23% the prior year, apparel 24% versus 23%, and toys 20% versus 19%.

Researchers also pointed to signals that consumers may be growing more cautious. A separate survey by Numerator, tracking more than 178,000 Prime Day orders, found that the average order size was $47.66, down from $53.34—suggesting shoppers were buying less per transaction.

Analysts said tax refunds could have helped some categories this time, with IRS data showing refund amounts increased 11.1% to $3,462 in 2026. For many shoppers, the purchases also appeared to be stock-up buys—items they said they were going to buy anyway—made possible by the discounts rather than a surge in overall demand.