New Delhi, Oct. 9 -- Early October set the tempo for holiday spend, mobile takes the lead, rivals crowd the calendar, AI and flexible payments reshape the aisle

New York -Amazon's two-day Prime Big Deal Days event, held on October 7 and 8, 2025, doubled as a barometer for the American consumer ahead of the holidays, according to the company's event details and timing. It was a sales spectacle, yes, with price tags rewritten across headphones, air fryers, toys and coats. It was also a stress test for inflation-squeezed households, third-party sellers watching margins, and rivals who now time their own promotions to siphon away attention. As carts filled and emptied on phones and laptops, a quieter competition played out in the background:...