Shopportunist
What you need to know to take full advantage of Amazon’s Prime Day.
Get ready to crack open those wallets. Last week I touched on all the reasons why we should start our Christmas shopping early, now here’s how. We are getting closer and closer to the start of Amazon’s annual savings extravaganza, Prime Day. Expected to be bigger than ever, the Black Friday-esque event will launch at 3 p.m. EST Tuesday and will run through Wednesday, with thousands of deals exclusively for Prime members around the world.
The e-commerce giant’s self-conceived consumer holiday is typically held in July, but Amazon delayed the sale because of supply-chain issues related to COVID-19. But no worries; the expanding consumer extravaganza will now usher in the holiday shopping season with a bevy of fleeting bargains on Amazon devices, streaming services, electronics, kitchen goods, apparel, appliances, furniture, toys and much.
Snatching the Prime Day deals does require a little prep work. Before we delve into all the deal-toting tactics, a few words about the competition, which I did touch on a bit last week.
In the past Prime Day has been a multibillion dollar boon for Amazon so competitors will once again clamor for a slice of that profitable pie with tempting sales.
Target also plans to lure shoppers with Deal Days, kicking off Tuesday. The twoday event will feature thousands of deep discounts on toys, apparel, home decor and more, many of which are already available online. Free in-store and curbside pickup will be offered when available and as always, shoppers can even more with Target Circle coupons.
Walmart, Amazon and Target’s staunchest rival, is promising Black Friday-like savings even earlier. The retailer’s Big Save Event will run Sunday through Thursday. Shoppers will have access to thousands of deals as well as free two-day shipping on orders over $35 and free Nextday delivery or in-store pickup on eligible items.
But back to Amazon. While most bargains remain under wraps until they go live, ramping up consumer anticipation, select offers are already available so be sure to visit Amazon.com/primeday. Those items that have been popular during the pandemic - loungewear, exercise equipment, video games and essentials for at-home learning - will go quick so be ready.
Here are a few more hacks to help you maximize savings during the two-day mega sale.
Sign up: To participate in Prime Day, you need to be a Prime member. If you haven’t already done so, you can sign up for a free 30-day trial at http://www.amazon.com/primeday. A full-year membership runs $119 or $12.99 a month. Students with an “.edu” email can get a free six-month Prime membership trial.
Set up your account: Plug in all pertinent information in advance, including billing/shipping address and payment options. Make sure your cart is empty before you shop and clear your browser’s cache to avoid any issues at checkout. Enabling 1-Click Ordering will help you instantly nab vanishing offers, though this feature isn’t always available on Lightning Deals — a promotion with a limited number of discount offers.
Share Prime perks: You can share your Prime membership and split the cost with a family member or friend. Just know that they will be able to see your order history and financial information.
Download the Amazon app: Download the app to get a sneak peek of deals days in advance. You’ll be able to
“Watch” an item you may want to buy and be notified when the deal goes live. Visit amazon.com/app.
Hone in on the Prime Day deals: Items that are reduced specifically during the promotion will be distinguished with a Prime Day badge.
Add items to your list and/or cart before they go live: Add items you’re interested in buying to your List and get notified if they go on sale. Coveted Lightning Deals will launch every few minutes, and Amazon will promote future offers before they go live. If you’re tempted by an “upcoming” Lightning Deal, add it to your cart in advance. Once the deal is live, check out.
Let Alexa do some of the legwork: Shop with your Alexa-powered device if you have one, so you can take advantage of Alexa-exclusive deals.