Amazon Prime Day: How to Really Save and Find the Best Deals During the Sale

How to Shop Like a Pro on Amazon Prime Day

AMAZON PRIME DAY is arguably one of the most confusing shopping holidays in history. The membership-only event actually lasts 48 hours. And early offers come before the actual sale. Amazon Promises 'Millions of Deals', but Frequently Displayed Discounts Are Misleading, Reports WIRED.

Add to that a frenzy of limited-time lightning deals and low inventory due to global supply chain issues.

Do not be afraid! Today, you'll learn about common shopping mistakes to prepare for Amazon Prime Day.

When is Amazon Prime Day?

This year, Prime Day falls on July 12 and 13. Basically the same as in previous years.

When do Prime Day sales start?

Early deals have already begun, but Amazon's big event will officially kick off at 3 a.m. ET on July 12. The sale will last 48 hours.

Are Prime Day deals only for Prime members?

Officially, yes. You must be an Amazon Prime member to shop on Amazon Prime Day. A free 30-day trial is available for new accounts. The trial version will allow you to participate in the sale. Just remember to cancel your membership afterwards to avoid subsequent renewal fees.

If you are not a subscriber, there are some discounts available to you (these offers may not be all that great). But other major retailers like Target, Walmart, and Best Buy typically run side sales during Prime Day. Their prices are often very close to what Amazon offers for the same items.

Is Prime Day worth it?

Everything depends on the circumstances. Some items tend to have some of the lowest prices on Prime Day of the year. Particularly Amazon hardware like Kindles, Fire tablets, and Echo devices, but there are other factors to consider. Prices fluctuate throughout the year and some items are discounted quite often. Even if the price is good, a deal on a product that is constantly on sale reduces the overall quality of that deal.

The sheer volume of deals being promoted by Amazon on Prime Day is both a blessing and a curse. Really good discounts can be difficult to pinpoint. There are so many items on sale that the overall selection can be overwhelming. But there is a high probability that the product you need will be on sale.

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How do you know if a deal is profitable?

Always check prices. Researching the price of a product is the most important aspect of determining the quality of a discount. Don't fall victim to deceptive marketing language and inflated MSRP prices. The easiest step is to take a second to search Google for the items you're considering to see prices across multiple stores.

One tool many people use is camelcamelcamel, which tracks Amazon prices over time. Simply paste the Amazon or ASIN link (found in the Product Information section) into the Camelcamelcamel search bar. And you will be able to see the lowest registered price of the item, its average price and the frequency of price fluctuations. Some deals, such as Lightning Deals, are excluded from price history. But it's still useful to look at what price a product was sold for in the past.

We also recommend you Keepa, which has an extension (available for multiple browsers) that shows a history of the latest product prices right on the Amazon page. So you don't have to open a new tab. Other great tools - Honey, which can potentially save you money with promo codes, but also tracks the price history of various retailers across the web, and Octoshop, which can quickly show you the price of a product in multiple retail stores.

Please note that these services may not run all the time. Combining these tools can help you determine if a trade is worth your money.

What is a Lightning Deal?

Lightning Deals are limited-time deals that Amazon completes for just a few hours. They are not limited to Prime Day, but are especially common during major sales.

To put it bluntly, the Lightning Deals range is often full of impulse purchases such as cosmetics, skincare, or toys. Prime members can view upcoming deals on the Amazon website and mobile app.

Should I buy these days?

It's easy to fall into the trap on Prime Day. You may see a really good price on a product that you don't really need. Do not do that. Make a list of items you really want to buy and save those links. When Prime Day starts, see if they're on sale. And use the above methods to make sure it's really a good deal. Then buy now! Don't buy a product just because it has a good price.