One of the most hyped summer sales, Amazon Prime Day — going on Tuesday, July 16 and Wednesday, July 17 — gives Prime members access to exclusive deals across the site. Tired of inflation and the high cost of living? Then shop Amazon Prime Day and reap huge bargains on thousands of items in tech, beauty and home, clothing and electronics.
The event officially starts at 12:01 a.m. PDT on Tuesday, July 16 and runs through Wednesday, July 17. But with only two days of bargains, it’s important to know how to bag the best deals, and whether (or not) Prime Day is really worth all the hype.
What is Amazon Prime Day?
Amazon Prime Day was created as a way to celebrate Prime members by offering exclusive member-only deals and discounts on thousands of items across the site, from tech and home goods, to clothing and beauty products. The first Prime Day event was on Amazon’s 20th birthday, July 15, 2015.
The only catch is that you must be an Amazon Prime member to participate. If you’re not a member, but want to sign up before the sales event, you can try Prime free for 30 days. After that, you’ll pay $14.99 per month, or if paid annually, Prime will set you back $139. Cancel anytime.
During Prime Day, Amazon offers new deals about every five minutes in select time periods, so Prime members don’t miss any of the many deals available during the sale. Amazon also offers suggestions based on your prior purchases and items saved to your Lists, making it easy and convenient to shop and save.
How to find the best Prime Day deals?
If you’re thinking of taking part in Amazon Prime Day, here’s the lowdown on how to snag the best deals.
Amazon Invitations
Amazon has an “invite-only deals” program where members can request an invitation to some of the most popular deals that are likely to sell out quickly. It’s a good way to prepare beforehand. But not all invite requests will be granted. If you do get an invite, you’ll be contacted on Prime Deal Day, so keep checking your email or your phone for notifications.
Deal Alerts
Alternatively, you can set up personalized deal alerts based on your recent searches and recently viewed items. During Prime Day you will receive notifications of any offers available on those items, which will save you from searching through long lists of offers.
Alexa
If you use Amazon Alexa, you can get your item notifications on the day. Alexa can notify you of deals you’ve set up alerts for, or you can even set up a reminder for Prime Day itself.
Amazon has already announced Prime members can sign up for invite-only deals on select products expected to sell out. which includes the Peloton Indoor Exercise Bike, Original Peloton Bike and Bike+ for only $1,011. That’s 30% off the regular price of $1,445. Or, check out these Sony WH-CH520 Wireless Headphones for only $35.99, or 55% off the regular price of $79.99.
Deals of Amazon products
Prime members can also save up to 68% on select devices, including: Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen), Fire TV 2-Series, Fire HD 10 tablets, Fire HD 8 Kids and Amazon Smart Plugs.
Amazon.com Pre-sale offers
Kindle Unlimited. On July 16 through July 17, eligible Prime members can get three months of Kindle Unlimited for $0.00.
Groceries from Amazon. From June 26 to July 15, Prime members can get coupons for $15 off a $75+ total purchase when shopping at Amazon Fresh physical stores.
Amazon Travel. Starting now, Prime members can save up to 40% off on select sailings with Carnival Cruise Line and when booking through the Amazon Travel Deals page, up to 30% off, plus 10% back in an Amazon.com Gift Card, on Avis rentals.
Buy with Prime. From July 8 through July 17, U.S. Prime members can shop additional deals directly from participating brands’ websites like HEYDUDE, PopSockets, Carbone Fine Food, and The Woobles, using Buy with Prime.
Amazon Prime VISA. Prime members can get a $200 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval for Prime Visa (from June 27 through July 24) or Prime members can get an $80 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval for Prime Store Card (from July 12 through July 17).
Audible Premium Plus. Prime members can get their first three months free of Audible Premium Plus. Audible auto-renews at $14.95/mo. after 3 months. Cancel anytime.
Prime Video. Get two-months of Prime Video for only 99 cents.
Prime Music and Prime Music Unlimited. For a limited time, Amazon is offering five months free of Amazon Music Unlimited to eligible subscribers. After your five months are up, you can cancel or opt to pay $9.99/month. (Non-Prime members pay $10.99/month).
Is it worth the wait?
During Prime Day, Amazon offers discounts on thousands of products. Some of these deals are worth the membership, while others will not.
When you’re notified of a deal, always double-check to confirm it’s a good one. Google the item you’re looking to buy and see if it’s the same price or cheaper elsewhere. Right now, Walmart, Best Buy, Home Depot and other stores are having sales also worth checking out. Remember to factor in the delivery costs. Free delivery is a famous Amazon Prime benefit, but many other sites also offer free delivery, sometimes after you spend a set amount.
As with any sale, set a budget and stick with it — it’s easy to get carried away and spend more than you should because something looks like a bargain. Deals experts note that making hasty decisions can lead to bad choices.
Nathan Burrows of The New York Times’ Wirecutter points out that “things like countdown clocks [and] flash sales drive a sense of urgency that can lead us to buy before asking ourselves how this item fits into our lives, or even whether the product in question is worth our time or money at all.”
Alternatives to Amazon Prime Deal Days
Retailers including Walmart and Best Buy have stepped up their game against Amazon in recent years during Amazon Prime Day. Here are just a few to check out before adding items to your cart on Amazon.
Walmart: If you missed out on Walmart Deals event that ended on July 11, you can still bag dozens of items at bargain prices. Like the Apple MacBook Air 13.3 inch Laptop, Now $649. Save $50. Or, get a SAMSUNG 98” 4K Smart TV for only $$12,997.99 and save $2,000.
Best Buy: Happening right now, Best Buy is offering up to $500 on select Windows laptops and up to 50% on select Chromebooks. Also, if you’re a Plus and Total member, you get a $50 bonus reward when you spend $500 or more. Shop other deals like an Apple – 10.9-Inch iPad Air (5th Generation) for only $399.99, you save $200.
Apple: Now through September 30, teachers and students can get an Apple gift card for up to $150 when you buy Mac or iPad with education savings.
Ikea: Outfit your college dorm with affordable furniture and storage solutions for up to 30% off at IKEA.
“While comparing prices between sites is easier,” Burrows adds, “you can make this even more seamless by downloading a tool like PriceBlink to your browser which will automatically scan competitor sites to see if you can find the same product for less elsewhere.”
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