Shopping Savings; Amazon Prime Day

 

Amazon Prime Day didn’t happen at its typical date in July due to the shopping and inventory uncertainty. However, the massive e-tailer appears ready to host the event later this year—in early October. RetailMeNot has created a guide for what to expect this year and how to prepare for Amazon Prime Day.

When Is Amazon Prime Day 2020? The official Amazon Prime Day date is rumored to be in October, according to CNBC who saw an email to third-party sellers with a date during the month of Halloween. But keep in mind that Amazon has not confirmed this date. And original rumors stated September, so it could get delayed again. Last year’s Prime Day lasted 48 hours starting on July 15, and we expect something similar in 2020. Amazon has historically picked a Monday to start the deals, so that means October 5, 12, 19 or 26. Amazon also might want to avoid Apple’s iPhone 12 launch date, which is still unknown but likely to steal attention. Note: CNET predicts October 13 or 14 for the iPhone 12 announcement. For those who don’t know—and I imagine there aren’t many of you—Amazon Prime Day is basically Cyber Monday meets Black Friday meets Boxing Day. But on Prime Day, you don’t need to leave your couch or home to shop the deals. If you’re a Prime member, all you have to do is watch for advance alerts of discounts on popular products, order online and wait for free shipping to bring your treasures home. Here’s a brief primer on what to expect.   What Prime Day Deals Do We Expect? Predicting Prime Day deals isn’t an easy task, but we can safely assume that Amazon will slash prices on its own devices and brands, such as Echo, Alexa, Kindles, Fire tablets, Amazon Newsstand and Prime Video Channels. We also wouldn’t be surprised to see sales on the Cloud Cam and Blink. Also, given the delay in Prime Day and need to break through an expected cluttered sales season in October, Amazon might launch brand-new products. TBD! GET AMAZON DEALS Fun fact(s): According to Amazon, the most-purchased items on 2019 Prime Day were the Instant Pot DUO60, the 23andMe DNA Test Kit, Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips Kits and LifeStraw personal water filters. Certain categories consistently see discounts during Prime Day. So with that in mind, below are the items we’re placing bargain bets on: Smart home devices and lighting (especially Roomba vacuums, Echo devices and anything that pairs with Alexa) TVs and laptops Hand tools and appliances Household essentials (trash bags, coffee, dishwasher detergent, batteries) Beauty Fashion (both from Amazon’s own brands but also FRYE, Under Armour, J.Crew and Crocs) Magazines from Amazon Newsstand Pet products Toys You Must Be a Prime Member to Take Advantage of Prime Day This annual blockbuster event is designed to boost, promote and celebrate Amazon’s Prime subscription service ($119 per year). If you’re not already a member, sign up for a free 30-day trial and enjoy access to members-only sales prices with the rest of the subscribers. Rather than cancel your subscription after Prime Day, our advice is to stick around for the free two-day shipping, music and movie services and early access to regular flash sales and lightning deals. #WorthIt For students, an Amazon Prime free trial is six months long. After that, the student membership will automatically upgrade to Amazon Prime for 50% off the regular subscription cost ($59). If you have a Prime membership, share your benefits with an adult or teen in your household at no additional cost. Here’s how. Tips for Successful Amazon Prime Day Shopping To really make the most of your Prime Day shopping, take my advice below: Be ready when the festivities begin and check back often. Amazon Prime Day’s best bargains are available in limited quantities. As a Prime member, you’ll get advance notice, but if it’s one of those 4K big-screen TVs you’re after or a Nintendo Switch, be ready to pounce before they’re all gone. Shop with your Alexa-powered device if you have one, so you can take advantage of Alexa-exclusive deals.  Download the Amazon app to get a sneak peek at deals a week in advance. Add the items you like to your list (here’s how), and you’ll receive an alert when they go on sale. Bonus: You’ll get $10 when you download and sign in to the Amazon app for the first time. Create your own wish list. Amazon will notify you if any of the items you’re coveting become Prime Day deals. Keep Lightning Deals on your radar. These super-limited offers are the best-of-the-best and never last long. Last year, to qualify as a lightning deal, a product had to be at least 20% off its list price. Once you put a lightning deal in your cart, you only have about 15 minutes to transact. If what you’re looking for isn’t on sale, check out other retailers. Many will offer their own mega sales in October. Consider getting the Amazon Prime credit card. You’ll immediately get a $70 gift card and 5% back on all Amazon purchases. If you are an Amazon seller, prepare for increased collateral activity by having stock in supply and an awareness of what consumers are looking for when they shop Amazon Prime Day. More Useful Tools to Prep You for Amazon Prime Day The Amazon Prime Day page will be updated as the event draws closer. Check it regularly for new product and protocol announcements. Also keep checking back here. We will update this post as we get more insider details on the event. Amazon Assistant is a browser extension that allows shoppers to see related items while browsing on Amazon.com or Google.com. Keepa is a free Amazon price tracker that gives shoppers a quick understanding about how the price of the product has changed over time. The Amazon app is available for free download and can be useful for jumping on bargains as soon as they are listed. The Tracker app monitors prices for many of the big retailers, including Amazon. It’s free for iOS and Android mobile devices. Remember: Amazon Isn’t the Only One Offering Deals on Prime Day Yes, Prime Day is an Amazon-exclusive event, but competitors are eager to tap into the wallets of shoppers who are already online that day looking to spend. Last year, RetailMeNot noted 200 retailers getting in on the Prime Day action. So far this year, Target, Walmart and Macy’s are ready to launch big holiday sales in October, and eBay typically holds a competing sale, too.