"Sunk Cost Fallacy:" How Amazon Capitalizes on Prime Days

Core Insights - Amazon is a major player in the retail sector, with 38% of all US shoppers purchasing from the platform, indicating its significant influence on e-commerce [2][3] - The company has expanded its promotional events, such as Prime Day, to increase sales opportunities, with the recent event lasting four days instead of two, and additional days planned for the fall [3][4] Membership and Consumer Behavior - Amazon Prime, a membership program costing $139 annually, encourages consumer loyalty and increased spending, with Prime members averaging $110 per month compared to $38 for non-members [5][8] - The sunk cost fallacy plays a role in consumer behavior, as members feel compelled to continue shopping on Amazon after making an initial investment in the Prime membership [6][7] Pricing Strategies - Amazon employs psychological pricing strategies, such as the anchoring bias, where original prices are shown alongside discounted prices to create a perception of savings [10][11] - There are concerns about price inflation during sales events, where items may be priced higher than usual, leading to skepticism about the authenticity of discounts [15][16] Competitive Landscape - Competing with Amazon poses challenges for small businesses, but insights from successful brands can provide valuable lessons for marketing and consumer engagement [17][19] - The importance of branding and customer experience is emphasized, as these factors can provide a competitive edge in a market dominated by large companies like Amazon [20]