Amazon Prime Day is coming up this month and it’s a great way to snag some great deals. Here’s everything you need to know to get the most out of Amazon Prime Day. Plus what to avoid buying during the major sale event.

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It seems like Black Friday shopping was just a few months ago and now another major shopping event is coming up. Where did the time go?

This month we get to take advantage of Amazon Prime Day. Just in case you have no idea what that is, keep reading and you’ll find out. I’ll also share some tips on what to buy and what to avoid while shopping on Amazon Prime Day. 

In 2020, Amazon sold over $10 billion worth of products on Prime Day. More than likely this was because Prime Day was held in October last year, close to the holiday season. Their best sellers included their own products like the Echo Dot, Fire Stick 4K, iRobot Roomba Robot Vacuum, as well as a few other items. Marketplace sellers also benefitted from Prime Day last year, with sales growing nearly 60%. (Source)

When is Amazon Prime Day?

Amazon officially announced on June 4 that Prime Day will start on June 21 at 12 a.m. PDT and end on June 22 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. You have exactly 48 hours to take advantage of the major discounts. 

Rumor has it that Amazon is going to have another Prime Day event in the fall, but it’s not official yet. We’ll just have to wait and see. 

What is Amazon Prime Day?

Amazon Prime Day has become one of the most popular sales events of the year. It started in July of 2015 to celebrate Amazon’s 20th anniversary. It was only a 24-hour event then, but it has since turned into a 2-day annual event. During the sales event, Amazon offers major discounts in every product category.  There are also Lightning Deals, which are only available for a limited time, plus pre-Prime Day and post-Prime Day deals in the weeks before and after the sale.

How does Prime Day work?

To take advantage of Prime Day, you must be an Amazon Prime member. You can sign up here for a 30-day free trial. (Take advantage of the sales event, and then cancel your membership before the 30 days are up. But, it’s only $12.99 a month if you decide to keep it.)

Once you’re signed up as a member, sign in to your account either on the site or the app, and you’ll see all the deals with the Prime Day prices. You’ll also be able to view the Lightning Deals and take advantage of those. They go pretty fast, though, so you have to make sure to check back often for the next deal. 

What type of deals can I find?

Amazon’s Prime Day deals are site-wide, meaning you will find deals on products in every category. This includes home, fashion, beauty, tech, and more! Usually, there are huge discounts on Amazon devices like the Echo Dot, Amazon Fire TV sets, Kindle e-book readers, and more. 

Deals are not just limited to Amazon products, however. Look for deals on laptops, TVs, appliances, robot vacuums, and other tech products. This is also a great time to stock up on household and beauty items. 

Will there be competitive sales elsewhere?

Many retailers such as Walmart, Target, and Best Buy, have started running competitor sales during the same time period as Amazon Prime Day. Also, keep an eye out for competitor sales from other stores such as Kohl’s, Bed Bath & Beyond, Home Depot, and Old Navy.  

Here’s an example of what was on sale last year at Walmart and Target. More than likely there will be similar deals this year.

Walmart

Last year, Walmart held a Big Save Event that featured deep discounts on many different items. For example, a 6-quart InstaPot went for $49 (a $50 savings) and Boise QuietComfort headphones were on sale for $100 off. This year we’ll probably see more deep discounts on everything from kitchen appliances to tech and entertainment. 

Also, expect Walmart to be pushing their Walmart+ service with exclusive perks just for subscribers. Walmart+ offers unlimited same-day delivery and costs $98 a year, which is actually $20 less a year than Amazon. 

Click here to get a free 15 day trial to Walmart+.

Target

Target held its Deal Days event last year at the same time as Amazon Prime Day, so more than likely they’ll be doing it again this year. With Target, there is no membership required to get exclusive deals – it’s open to everyone. However, if you’re signed up with the Target Circle loyalty program (it’s free to join), you can more than likely expect to see quite a few coupons to compete with Prime Day offers. 

Last year, Target Deal Days included $50 off the iRobot Roomba 695 and $100 off a Samsung 50-inch TheFrame 4K Smart TV. Look for deep discounts on tech, gaming, smart home, and many more categories this year. 

Click here to sign up for Target Circle for free.

Is Amazon Prime Day worth shopping?

Well, that depends on what you’re looking for. 

Since Amazon Prime Day is strictly an Amazon sales event, the deepest discounts will be on Amazon products, such as its Echo smart speakers, kitchen appliances, robot vacuums, and even Amazon-brand groceries. You’re not likely to see deals this big again until Black Friday or Cyber Monday, so they’re definitely worth shopping. 

Are you really saving any money on Prime Day?

It really all depends on what you’re buying as to whether or not you’ll be saving money. If you’re shopping for Amazon products like those mentioned above, you’ll definitely be saving quite a bit of money. However, if you’re purchasing items that are only marked down by 5 to 10%, you’re not going to save very much. Amazon offers that kind of markdowns year round so it’s best to just skip those. 

How to save money on Amazon Prime Day

1. Sign up for Amazon Prime membership

Since Prime Day deals are for members only, you’ll have to sign up for Amazon Prime. You can get a free 30-day trial here, then cancel before the 30 days are up if you wish. If you choose to stay a member, you’ll pay $12.99 a month ($119/year) or $6.49 a month if you’re a student ($59/year). Also, Amazon has a government assistance discount for low-income shoppers who have a valid Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) or Medicaid card. Prime is only $5.99 a month for those who qualify. 

Being an Amazon Prime member also has it’s perks. As a member you can benefit from the following:

• Prime Delivery: In some places, you can have your packages delivered within a few hours! Plus, shipping is free on all your purchases, including one-day delivery, same-day delivery, and 2-hour grocery delivery. 
• Prime Video: Prime Video has thousands of movies and TV shows, including Amazon originals. I personally enjoy watching old Roseanne episodes on Prime Video. 
• Amazon Music: Prime members have access to over 2 million songs, all ad-free, plus access to top playlists and podcasts. 
• Kindle Unlimited: Prime members can read as much as they want from thousands of audiobooks on any device.
• Prime Wardrobe: Prime Wardrobe allows you to try on clothes, shoes, jewelry, and accessories before you buy them. As a Prime member, you can choose up to 8 items at a time and only pay for what you decide to keep. I haven’t tried this out yet, but I’m interested in learning more and seeing what they have to offer. 

2. Download the Amazon app

After you’ve downloaded the app, take time to scroll through and find items you want to purchase. Prime Day deals will have a blue badge on Prime Day, making them easier to see. Tap “Watch This Deal” in the app to get alerted when the price drops, then add the item to your cart immediately. You have about 15 minutes to complete the purchase. 

If there are items you want that do not have a blue badge, add them to a wish list. Amazon will send a push notification to your phone if the items become part of Prime Day deals. 

Also with the mobile app, you can track your orders in real time and get notified when your delivery arrives. 

3. Make a wish list

Making a wish list before the sale hits will prevent you from making impulse purchases. Think about what you need in the upcoming months, not just right now. Once Prime Day rolls around, check your list (under account settings) and you’ll be able to see if any of your items are on sale.

4. Install the Honey browser extension in Chrome

A great way to see if you’re saving money is to use a browser extension called Honey. Honey compares every seller on Amazon to show you the lowest price. (Plus, you can earn rewards while you shop that you can redeem for gift cards later.)

Click here to join Honey for free.

5. Become familiar with the type of sales

Prime Day sales typically fall into the following categories:

• Spotlight Deals: These deals are often the best deals of Prime Day because of the amount of the discount. Spotlight deals only last until they run out of stock, so act fast!
• Lightning Deals: These deals only last a few hours at a time with a new deal popping up as often as every 10 minutes. You’re able to track the stock number and timer of each lightning deal before you buy. Beware: these deals go even fast than spotlight deals!
• Prime Savings and Deals: Be sure to check this page often for new items because it includes discounts on various items that last the entire length of Prime Day (unless they sell out). 

6. Pay attention to Amazon services and subscriptions

Amazon Prime Day isn’t just a day to buy physical products. It’s also one of the only times of the year that Amazon offers discounts on their services and subscriptions. In the past, Amazon has offered discounts on Amazon Fresh orders. New customers saved $15 off orders over $50 last year. Also, there were huge discounts on Amazon Music Unlimited (trials for $0.99 a month for 4 months) and major discounts on Audible (40 to 60% off). 

7. Shop small businesses on Amazon

When you shop a qualifying small business starting June 7th until June 20, you’ll get a $10 credit to spend on Prime Day when you spend $10.

Items to avoid on Prime Day

Not everything is a good deal during Prime Day. Here are some items to avoid buying during the big sales event:

• Televisions
• Gaming Consoles
• Phones
• Laptops
• Toys
• Items from third party sellers
• Any item under 50% off
• Bad quality items (do your research before buying!)
• Impulse buys

Pros and Cons of Amazon Prime Day

Of course with any sales events, there are going to be both pros and cons. Here are the pros and cons of shopping Amazon Prime Day. 

Pros

• Major discounts on lots of products site-wide
• Deep discounts on Amazon products
• Get $10 credit to spend on Prime Day when you spend $10 at a qualifying small business
• When you shop through smile.amazon.com, Amazon donates 0.5% of the purchase of eligible products to a charitable organization of your choice

Cons

• You must be an Amazon Prime member 
• Items that are not Amazon products may not have the best deals
• Items sell out really fast

Are you planning to shop on Amazon Prime Day this year? I’d love to know your thoughts on this big sale event.

If you can’t wait until June 21 to shop, then you can check out these early Prime Day deals exclusively for Amazon Prime members here!

Looking for more ways to save money? I recommend reading these posts next:
12 Ways to Get Books Free or Cheap
7 Things You Shouldn’t Buy When You’re Broke
20 Unique Ways to Save Money