What: Amazon's sales rise 5.9% during eight-day boycott, demonstrating consumer activism's limited impact on e-commerce giants.

Why it is important: This case study in consumer behavior illustrates the resilience of major e-commerce platforms when convenience and pricing outweigh social concerns, particularly during periods of economic uncertainty.

Amazon has demonstrated remarkable resilience during an eight-day boycott organised by The People's Union USA, with sales actually increasing by 5.9% compared to the eight-week average. Data from e-commerce analytics firm Momentum Commerce reveals that the boycott, running from March 7-14, failed to create any meaningful downward impact on Amazon's US sales. This performance follows a pattern established during a previous single-day economic blackout on February 28, where transactions rose 1% against typical Friday patterns. The disconnect between stated boycott intentions and actual sales impact is particularly noteworthy, as pre-boycott surveys by Numerator had found that 9% of Amazon shoppers intended to participate in the protest. Even among those planning to participate, 22% indicated they would merely shift their Amazon purchases to different dates rather than permanently taking their business elsewhere. This behavior highlights a fundamental challenge with consumer boycotts, where economic self-interest often supersedes political or social concerns in actual purchasing decisions.

IADS Notes: Amazon's ability to maintain sales growth during the March 2025 boycott follows a consistent pattern of market resilience. In February 2025, the company similarly defied the People's Union USA's one-day economic blackout, actually seeing a 1% increase in sales. This resilience builds upon Amazon's strong performance in December 2024, when it achieved record-breaking holiday sales of $74.4 billion. The company's success can be partially attributed to its sophisticated use of retail analytics, evidenced by November 2024 data showing 38% of consumers utilising AI tools for deal-hunting. This technological edge, combined with economic factors such as concerns over Trump's tariffs potentially adding $640 billion to US import costs as projected in January 2025, has reinforced Amazon's position as consumers prioritise value and convenience over social activism.

Amazon defies weeklong boycott as sales actually increase, data shows