Prime Day officially returns July 11, and Amazon is once again ready to blow your socks off with deals. And maybe a discount on new socks, if you’re lucky.
After its less-than-stellar launch in 2015, Amazon ensured a far more successful followup last year, offering more than 100,000 deals. For its third year, Amazon is going for broke, offering “hundreds of thousands of deals” according to the online retail giant.
Also, make sure to strap in and get cozy. Prime Day is giving you 30 hours to bask in its deals, from 9 pm ET July 10 all the way through 3 am ET July 12.
Like years past, the deals will be broken down into a few different categories. Prime Spotlight Deals are deeply discounted but are in limited supply. Once the supply is gone, the product returns to its original price or simply is sold out. Lightning Deals only last a few hours and are also in limited supply, but come with waitlists to notify you if a slot becomes available. Then there’s Prime Savings and Deals, which last all the way through Prime Day.
With so many savings to sift through, Prime Day can be pretty daunting. Nobody should face Prime Day blind. This handy guide ensures you get the most out of the shopping holiday as possible. Let the rest of the huddled masses lose their minds, while you snatch up savings left and right.
1) Get Amazon Prime
This one’s pretty crucial because Amazon only offers Prime Day deals to Prime members. If you’re not already enjoying free two-day shipping, you’re truly missing out on one of the internet’s greatest pleasures next to cat gifs.
If you’re still sheepish about the idea, you can try Prime free for 30 days before committing to the $99 annual cost. The subscription pays for itself when you account for free two-day shipping, Prime exclusive deals and access to Amazon Instant Streaming, the retailer’s answer to Netflix.
2) Update your wish lists
Instead of sifting through piles of deals on Prime Day, save yourself some time and update your lists. Say you’re looking for a deal on a Nintendo Switch or a Vitamix. Add these items to your list and Amazon will notify you if that gaming console or super blender is on sale. A little simple pre-gaming might be the secret to beating fellow shoppers to the punch.
Managing these lists with the Amazon App is even more intuitive, and will give provide you with instant alerts when you’re not at your computer.
3) Get an Amazon Store Credit Card
If you’re planning to go all out on Prime Day, you may consider getting an Amazon Store Credit Card. Not only do you get 5 percent back on purchases and special financing on big ticket items, but Amazon lets you in on exclusive deals every other day of the year. If you sign up now, Amazon will toss in a $40 Amazon gift card upon credit approval.
4) Get an Alexa-enabled device
This year, Alexa may be your secret weapon when it comes to snatching up deals. Amazon Echo devices with Alexa can perform countless tasks such as ordering you a pizza or streaming your favorite playlist, but this year, tech’s most dependable gal (sorry, Siri) will have access to exclusive voice shopping deals.
5) Stay calm, be ready and if all else fails, count on us
The early bird on Prime Day may not get the worm, but they might just land a 4K flatscreen. The best deals will likely show up in the middle of the night, so plan your sleep schedule (or lack thereof) accordingly. Still, your best tool may be The Daily Dot, which will do all the hard deal scouring for you leading up to the holiday and on Prime Day itself.
To paraphrase a great woman, “Good luck, and may the deals be ever in your favor.” Visit Amazon for more information on this year’s Prime Day.
MORE PRIME DAY DEALS:
- This GoPro bundle is the cheapest it’s ever been
- Get Amazon’s 55-inch smart TV for only $399.99 today
- Amazon’s Audible subscriptions are only $9 a month, thanks to Prime Day
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