Prime Day 2026 is in the books, and the data says a lot about where retail media
By Brandon Fishman · July 1, 2026 · Curated by George's Blog
Prime Day 2026 is in the books, and the data says a lot about where retail media is headed.
Across the brands our team manages, Prime Day sales grew about 23% from last year. The new four day June window pulled demand into Day 1. The story is not just that Amazon was big. It is how the growth happened:
- Amazon 3P led the way. Third party storefronts captured most of the new demand, and brands kept ad efficiency strong while spending less on ads than the year before.
- Demand hit early. The winners had their deals, stock, and budgets ready before the event opened.
- Walmart is the quiet story. It is easy to overlook during an Amazon event, but it was the fastest growing marketplace we manage this Prime Day, up several times over from last year.
The lesson for 2026 planning is simple. Win Amazon, but do not sleep on Walmart.
The channel people overlook today is the one growing fastest, and it gets more expensive to enter every year.
If you are rethinking your marketplace strategy for the back half of the year, let's talk.