One of the most hyped summer sales, Amazon Prime Day — going on Tuesday, July 8 through Friday, July 11 — 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 is extended from two to four days this year so make the most of these extra days by learning about how to maximize the best deals below.
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 as they can appear any time before the Prime Day period. Not all invite requests will be granted and popular items may sell out even with an invitation. If you do get an invite, you'll be contacted via email. Find these on the Deals page, and select "Request invite" on the product page for your desired deal.
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.
Deals on Amazon smart devices
Prime members can also save up to 68% on select devices, including: an Amazon 75" QLED Fire TV for $569.99 (48% off the list price $1,099.99), the newest model of Amazon Echo Spot for $44.99 (44% off the list price of $79.99) and the newest model of the Blink Outdoor security camera system for $99.99 (62% off the list price of $259.99).
Amazon.com Pre-sale offers
Groceries from Amazon. Prime members can take advantage of a 30-day free trial. Only available in certain areas.
Amazon Travel. During the Prime Day period, Prime members can book cruises from $80 per day with Carnival Cruise Line through the Amazon Travel Deals page. Get 30% off, plus 10% back in an Amazon.com Gift Card on Avis rentals and up to 30% off Budget rental cars, and deals on Amtrack tickets, hotel stays and more.
Buy with Prime. Prime members can shop additional deals directly from participating brands’ websites like bareMinerals, Briogeo, Buxom Cosmetics, Carbone, ZOA Energy, Sherpani, PopSockets and Casely
Amazon Prime VISA. Prime members can get a $150 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval for Prime Visa.
Audible Premium Plus. Prime members pay just $0.99 for the first three months. Auto renews at $14.95/month. Cancel anytime.
Prime Video. New members, try Prime free for 30 days.
Prime Music and Prime Music Unlimited. For a limited time, Amazon is offering four months free of Amazon Music Unlimited to eligible subscribers. Non-Prime members get three months free.
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. 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.”
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