How to Score the Best Amazon Prime Day Deals (+ Everything Else You Need to Know)
Credit: Dennizn / ShutterstockToggle Dark Mode
Get your credit cards ready, Amazon Prime Day is almost here.
Amazon confirmed that the store-wide discounts will begin next week. You’ll be able to save money on everything from coffee pots to Fire TVs and so much more.
Buy gifts for yourself or use the sale to get some early holiday shopping done.
It can be a crazy event with a ton of shoppers scrambling for the same deals. Here are five tips to give you a leg up on other shoppers so you can snag some of these sweet Amazon Prime Day deals.
What Is Prime Day?
Prime Day is Amazon’s annual sales event and is one of the retailer’s largest events. It may even eclipse Black Friday in the number of discounts.
Though usually held over the summer, the sales event was delayed this year because of the coronavirus pandemic and the overwhelming number of orders Amazon had to handle.
Now that things have settled down, the online retailer is ready to put almost its entire storefront on sale starting next week.
When Is Prime Day?
Amazon Prime Day is more than just a single day. It’s a multi-day event that starts on October 13 and ends on October 14. The bulk of the deals will fall on those two days, but the retailer often offers discounts during the week before the sale. So start shopping now and keep your eye on great deals like this Toshiba TV and this two-for-one Echo deal with code DOTPRIME2PK.
Who Can Participate?
Amazon Prime Day is just for Prime Members. You have to subscribe to one of Amazon’s Prime membership plans to participate in the sales.
You can join Amazon Prime for $120 a year or $13 per month. Not sure you want to commit to another monthly payment? Then try Amazon’s free 30-day trial.
If you are a student or have a valid EBT or Medicaid card, you can save on a Prime membership. With an EBT or Medicaid card, you can save 50 percent off a Prime membership, paying only $6 per month for up to 48 months.
Students can join Prime for $6.50 per month and get six months free if they are a new member.
Now, continue reading to learn five ways to make sure you’re getting the best deals on Prime Day.
Use the Amazon App
Download the Amazon app to your mobile phone and turn on notifications. You’ll be able to receive alerts when hot new items go on sale. When you see a must-have item, you can purchase it right away using your phone.
Try typing in “sneak peeks” into the search tool, and you can even view early Prime Day deals that are shown only to those using a mobile app.
Install Amazon Assistant
Amazon has the Amazon Assistant, a browser extension that’ll show you all the trending deals and new Prime Day deals. It will also show the price of items on a competitor’s website, allowing you to compare prices while you shop. After Prime Day is over, the Amazon Assistant will provide order updates so you can track when your item is shipping.
Use Price Trackers
Don’t get so caught up in the sale that you spend too much on an item. Use a third party price tracker like CamelCamelCamel or Keepa. These tools show the item’s pricing history letting you see if this price is genuinely discounted.
Narrow Down What You Want
There are so many sales on Amazon on Prime Day that it is easy to get overwhelmed. Choose a handful of products and learn where they are categorized in Amazon’s inventory. Looking for a new coffee pot? Find the kitchen items and watch that category. Pro-tip, almost all of the Amazon-branded products, like the Fire TV or Kindle, will go on sale.
Be Prepared
Sales are fast and furious on Prime Day. The company has non-stop lightning deals that appear and sell out in minutes. Get ready in advance by adding your payment information and shipping details into your Amazon account.
If you already have payment details saved, make sure they are up to date. It’ll save you time during checkout. When the deals are flying off the shelf, every second may count.
