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Amazon just announced the dates of its highly anticipated Prime Day, a 48-hour sale featuring more than 2 million deals. Last year, we saw some of the best deals ever, especially on things like Amazon’s own devices. This year, Amazon Prime Day will take place on June 21 and 22. Here’s how to take advantage of all the sales.
Get a free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime (cancel anytime)
You’ll need to be a Prime member to score the best deals on Prime Day, as well as many of the deals Amazon releases ahead of the event. (Amazon Prime is Amazon’s subscription service that offers perks like free one- and two-day shipping on millions of items; free access to thousands of TV shows, movies and songs; exclusive deals, and more. You can score a free 30-day trial now (cancel anytime). If you don’t cancel within 30 days, you will pay $12.99 per month or $119 per year (if you’re a student or on government assistance, it’s even cheaper). Get the Amazon Prime free trial here.
Download the Amazon app and browser extension
This app is especially helpful during Prime Day to review upcoming deals and get notified when deals go live, experts say: “Make sure you download the Amazon app where you can build shopping lists, and install the Amazon Assistant browser extension which is very helpful for price history. You can even ask Alexa for help — sometimes there are Alexa-exclusive deals,” says Trae Bodge, smart shopping expert at TrueTrae. Download the app here and the browser extension here.
Shop early via Today’s Deals on Amazon
While there are plenty of Prime Day deals during Prime Day, Andrew Gretchko, vice president of communications at CouponCabin, says sometimes Amazon’s best offers aren’t limited to the shopping holiday. “Look for deals in the weeks leading up to Prime Day. Savvy shoppers will start to notice plenty of pre-Prime Day discounts,” says Gretchko. Get deals on Amazon now.
Get a $10 credit when you spend with select small businesses
Prime members get a $10 credit on Prime Day if they spend $10 or more at over 300,000 select small businesses between June 7-20. We expect other promotions like this to come soon. Shop small businesses here.
Earn a $5 Amazon credit when you sign up for, and fund, Amazon Cash
Amazon Cash lets you shop Amazon using a barcode even if you don’t have a debit or credit card. Right now, when you sign up and add $20 to your account via an ATM in the Allpoint+ network, you can earn $5 from Amazon. Get details here.
Use your Amazon credit card
If you sign up for the Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card (only do this if you need the card and will pay it off in full each month), you can instantly get a $50 Amazon gift card; the card also offers 3% cash back on Amazon and Whole Foods purchases and 2% back at restaurants, gas stations and drugstores. Note that this year, Amazon Rewards Visa Card or Amazon Prime Store Card users get an additional 10% back when they shop with small businesses. Get details here.
Make a list of what you actually want or need
“It can be helpful to make a list of what you might need if it’s on sale. If you’re not that organized, ask yourself honestly if you need the item or if you can use it before checking out,” says Bodge. To do so, Kristen Gall, retail expert and president of Rakuten Rewards, recommends looking at your future needs, like back-to-school items or summer vacation attire.
Come up with a plan
“Many of the most popular items on Prime Day sell out quickly, so it’s important to start the day with a plan and know which items you hope to buy. In some cases, the sales also start early, so you can get a headstart — just plan in advance and start checking prices so you’re able to grab the Prime Day discount as soon as you see it,” says Kimberly Palmer, personal finance expert at NerdWallet.
Pay attention to price trackers
Sara Skirboll, shopping and trends expert at RetailMeNot, suggests paying attention to price trackers like CamelCamelCamel or Keepa. “They’re going to monitor deals every day and every week throughout the year to make sure that Prime Day is really your best bet and the best time to spend money,” says Skirboll.
Look for deals during Prime Day on other sites
Other companies want to compete with Amazon during Prime Day: “Don’t forget that Amazon is not the only place to shop on Prime Day. You can shop at hundreds of other retailers and find great deals, in some cases even better. Last year, RetailMeNot found that there were over 350 retailers who participated in offering deals on Prime Day, not on Amazon. So pay attention to places like Macy’s, Kohl’s and Best Buy who all might be running their own deals,” says Skirboll.
