Amazon Prime Day is arguably one of the most confusing shopping holidays in existence: It's not even a "day," as the event spans 48 hours, beginning at 3 am Eastern time on October 8. It can be a little hard to navigate—the displayed discounts are often misleading; and while it's advertised as a members-only event, some deals are available to people who don't subscribe to Prime. Fear not, we're here to help you shop like a pro during Amazon Prime Day.
ABC: Always be checking (prices, that is). Researching an item's price is the most important aspect of determining the quality of a discount. Take a second to Google the items you're considering so you can see the price across multiple stores. One tool we like to use is Camelcamelcamel, which tracks Amazon's prices over time to make sure you're getting the best deal. There are also Lightning Deals, which are limited-time deals that Amazon runs for only a few hours. They're not restricted to Prime Day, but they're especially prevalent during big sales events.
The best deals sometimes sell out quickly. To get around this, Amazon launched an invite-only deals program during Prime Day. Prime members can request an invitation on items that are expected to sell out. If you're selected, you'll receive both an email and a notification via the Amazon app once Prime Day begins, and the deal is valid until Prime Day ends. You may also be able to add an item to your cart before the sale begins, so you can refresh the page to snag it right away. If you're a Prime member with the Amazon Shopping app (Android, iOS), you can set up personalized deals alerts to get notified when items you have searched for recently are on sale.
Read our full guides on how to shop like a pro during Amazon Prime Day. And be sure to check out our other guides, like the best early Amazon Prime Day deals, how to choose the right soundbar, our favorite Kindles, and great espresso machines to become your own at-home barista.
