When Is Amazon Prime Day 2020?

Bargain hunters know Amazon Prime Day, when online shopping behemoth Amazon.com rolls out a bevy of deals on all manner of merchandise, is typically in July, but there’s nothing typical about 2020. And to that point, Amazon Prime Day was not in July this year. So when is Amazon Prime Day in 2020?

There are signs it’s coming soon. Amazon.com is now teasing the hugely popular Prime Day with an online landing page that simply says -- wait for it -- “It’s Coming.”

CNET, citing unnamed sources, said that Amazon is targeting Oct. 13 for the beginning of Amazon Prime Day 2020. Vacation dates for Amazon workers are blacked out for the week beginning Oct. 13, CNET reports. But that doesn’t mean it’s locked in; we’ll keep you updated. Amazon could still decide to fold its Prime Day into other other big upcoming retail sales events, including Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the weeks leading up to the holidays.

Throughout the pandemic, Amazon prioritized customers’ orders for healthcare supplies and other essential items for fighting COVID-19 and surviving quarantines. As a result, it has had trouble fulfilling its two-day (or shorter) delivery promise for Prime members, who pay $119 annually for quick delivery and other amenities. As you might imagine, Amazon’s been overwhelmed with orders from folks preferring the safety of shopping at home.

Prime “Day” is actually a misnomer. In 2019, Amazon Prime Day covered 48 hours, up from the traditional 24- to 36-hour duration of previous Prime Days. That helped the retailer set records during Prime Day 2019, Amazon reported, even outpacing its combined sales for Black Friday and Cyber Monday in 2018.

What to Expect on Amazon Prime Day 2020

Anticipate another 48-hour (or longer) event this year with better deals than ever as Amazon responds to stepped-up competition from Walmart and Target, both now offering free shipping and same-day in-store pickup to siphon off Prime customers and compete with Amazon Prime Day. We might even see a full Amazon Prime Week.

So what will be on sale whenever Amazon Prime Day 2020 finally arrives? In past years, Prime Day has offered huge deals on Amazon’s proprietary gadgets -- including Echo personal assistance devices (“Alexa…”), Fire TV sticks, Kindles and their ilk -- plus a flea-market array of baubles, gewgaws and bric-a-brac from other vendors large and small, as well as items from Amazon’s Whole Foods supermarket chain. Naysayers note Prime Day has been Amazon’s version of a garage sale, unloading a lot of silly and unsold inventory along with only the occasional true treasure. 

If past is prologue, many Prime Day deals will be listed on Amazon.com in advance of Prime Day, and some can be preordered by Prime members. Nonmembers can sign up for a free 30-day trial to tap the sales on Amazon Prime Day 2020. Not satisfied? Cancel the membership before you have to start paying for it.