Amazon's 2020 bestsellers list: Pandemic buying habits revealed

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The year is almost over and that means Amazon's bestseller list for 2020 is effectively near its end. The company keeps track of its best-selling items in multiple categories, providing some insight into what the public was interested in the past year. What does the chart look like during a year of lockdowns and health anxiety?

It's perhaps no surprise to see that many people bought video game consoles, game titles, game-related gift cards, smart displays and speakers, and Internet of Things devices for the home this past year. It's easy to see the entertainment and convenience value that comes with these devices during the year in which many people have rarely left their homes.

Looking just at the video game categories at the moment, Sony currently dominates the list with PS Store gift cards taking the top slot, followed by the PS5 Digital Edition console at #2 and the PS5 console with disc drive at #3. Xbox gift cards sit at #4, followed by gift cards for Nintendo eShop and Roblox.

When it comes to Electronics, it's not surprising that Amazon's own products have taken the top slots — the list is about Amazon buying habits, after all. The 4th-Gen Echo Dot, Fire TV Stick 4K, and Glacier White Echo Dot took the top three places. The Echo Show 8 and 5 smart displays, as well as the Echo Flex mini smart speaker took the next three places.

Roku also makes multiple appearances on the Electronics chart, as does Instax Mini film, the Nintendo Switch, Wyze Cam, and various accessories, notably screen protectors for the Nintendo Switch.

Finally, at least as far as consumer gadgets go, the Camera & Photo category has Wyze Cam and Wyze Cam Pan in the first two places, both beating out Amazon's Ring Stick Up Cam that took third place. Telescopes, binoculars, pocket microscopes, spy cameras, and digital baby monitors also have a notable presence on the list.

You can view the Amazon 2020 Bestseller list by category here; it is updated hourly and may change a bit over the next couple of days leading to 2021.