Walmart makes major move to keep customers away from Amazon

Walmart is ramping up its efforts to prevent customers from flocking to Amazon’s upcoming Prime Day event, which offers steep discounts across multiple product categories. 

Last year, Amazon Prime Day drove $24.1 billion in online spend across U.S. retailers, representing 30.3% year-over-year growth, according to Adobe for Business data. 

In a press release last year, Amazon said the event delivered record sales, marking its biggest Prime Day to date. 

Amazon Prime Day ran between July 8 and July 12 last year, while Walmart ran its Walmart Deals savings event, which rivals Prime Day with massive discounts on in-store and online items, between July 8 and July 13. 

Walmart reacts as shoppers eye Amazon Prime Day 2026

Amazon announced earlier this month that its Prime Day event this year will begin on June 23 and end on June 26, and in response, Walmart is pulling the same card it did last year to keep shoppers away from the event.

Walmart has revealed that its savings event this year will also move to June, officially returning on June 22 and ending on June 28, lasting three days longer than Amazon Prime Day, according to a recent press release. 

During Walmart’s event, customers will see savings on thousands of products in categories such as electronics, fashion, toys, collectibles, furniture, skincare and back-to-school essentials.

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To further lure in customers, Walmart is letting Walmart+ members have early access to “an online-only curated assortment” of deals on high-demand items in the first 24 hours of the event.

Walmart’s event comes as 43% of U.S. households (5.9 million) are expected to shop on Amazon Prime Day, according to recent data from Numerater, which was shared with TheStreet. 

Also, planned Prime Day shoppers are expected to spend over $11 billion, with the average planned household spending roughly $187. 

While Walmart’s move takes direct aim at Amazon Prime Day, it also rivals Target’s upcoming savings event, Target Circle Days, which runs between June 23 and June 26.

Target’s event features up to 45% off thousands of items across multiple categories. Also, just like Walmart, it is granting members of its loyalty program, Target Circle 360, early access to deals and discounts. 

Walmart executives warn of consumer pressure as pricing changes loom

Walmart’s move to align its savings event with Amazon’s and Target’s, and to offer extra days of deals, comes after its CEO warned during an earnings call on May 21 that shoppers are increasingly looking for value amid economic pressures. 

“When I look at the consumer, especially here in the U.S., they're telling us they're feeling some pressure, and they're looking to Walmart for value,” said Walmart CEO John Furner. “We're continuing to invest in prices, extending the rollbacks we started in the second half of last year, and we now have about 7,200 rollbacks in place.”

Walmart Chief Financial Officer John Rainey also said during the call that the company has noticed that high-income customers are “spending with confidence” across many categories, while lower-income customers are more “budget-conscious” and “navigating financial distress.”

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According to University of Michigan Survey of Consumers data, consumer sentiment is currently 13% below January 2026 and 19% below a year ago.

In a statement, University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers Director Joanne Hsu said that consumers “remain focused on kitchen table issues.”

“They feel burdened by the recent escalation in inflation and worry that higher inflation could remain stubborn going forward, particularly in the short run,” said Hsu.

As consumer sentiment remains challenged, a recent survey from Ipsos, a market research company, found that many Americans are cutting back on spending amid financial pressures. 

• Roughly 53% of Americans reduce nonessential spending when gas prices or general living costs rise. 
• In the same situation, about 2 in 5 delay larger expenses and 38% purchase less expensive brands. 
• When it comes to food spending, 58% pay closer attention to prices, while 52% change how frequently they buy items. This is mainly due to budget concerns.
  Source: Ispos

Despite this shift in customer behavior, Rainey warned that Walmart could soon raise prices in its stores due to higher costs.

“If the current elevated cost environment persists, we'd expect somewhat higher retail price inflation in Q2 and the second half of the year,” said Rainey.

These higher prices follow Walmart's increase in sales and revenue in the first quarter of 2026.

• Walmart’s U.S. net sales increased by 4.5% year over year.
• The company’s U.S. eCommerce sales increased by a whopping 26%.
• Walmart generated $5.9 billion in U.S. operating income, up 3.5% year over year.
  Source: Walmart

Related: Target sees unexpected shift in customer behavior