Prime yourself
Busy online shopping day will run smoothly on Amazon if you follow these tips.
Prime Day, Amazon's pinnacle shopping bonanza for Prime members, returns Monday. Expected to be bigger than ever, the annual Black Friday-esque event will launch at 3 a.m. Monday and extend through Tuesday.
First held in 2015, the e-commerce giant’s self-conceived consumer holiday has grown considerably over the years. Last year, Amazon sold $10.4 billion worth of goods on Prime Day (which was held in October because of the pandemic), up 45.2 percent from $7.16 billion in 2019, according to a study by Digital Commerce 360, an e-commerce research firm.
Amazon says this year’s consumer cash cow will feature more than 2 million fleeting deals on electronics, kitchen goods, apparel, appliances, furniture, toys and much more, including “can’t-miss” bargains from top brands like Levi’s, irobot, Samsung and Redken.
In addition to its own smorgasbord of savings, Amazon announced it will once again support tinier enterprises by showcasing more than 1million deals from small- and medium-sized businesses selling on the e-tailer’s site.
If you're a Prime member easily dazzled by deals, now is the time to prepare for the savings soiree.
To participate in Prime Day, you need to be a Prime member in good standing. If you haven’t already done so, sign up for a free 30-day trial. A full-year membership is $119. You also can choose to pay monthly. Shoppers with an EBT or Medicaid card can join for $5.99 a month. Students with an “.edu” email can get a free six-month Prime membership trial.
You can share membership perks and split the cost with a family member or friend. Join Amazon Household and share Prime benefits and digital content at no cost. Two adults and up to four teens, each with their own logins, and four children may link in a Household. Just know that they will be able to see your order history and financial information.
Before the big day, plug in all pertinent account information in advance, including billing and shipping addresses and payment options. 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.
Be sure to also download the Amazon app if you want expanded access to offers that may not be available on the desktop site. Use the app to view deals days before they go live and set alerts. You can even “watch” an item you may want to buy and be notified when the deal goes live. The app is probably the best tool to guarantee that you do not miss a deal. If you have one, be sure to shop with your Alexa-powered device so you can take advantage of Alexa-exclusive deals.
Another tip: Add items to your list and/or cart before they go live. If the price should plummet, you’ll be notified. And, when Prime Day does officially launch, look for badges. All Prime Day deals will be marked with a blue badge.
Finally, don’t forget the competition. Amazon isn’t the only retailer vying for your consideration and cash. Several other major merchants will offer competing, simultaneous sales with deals rivaling the e-commerce titan. Walmart will get things going a day early. The retailer’s Deals for Days sale kicks off Sunday and will feature Black Friday-like pricing on home goods, electronics, toys and more. Target will launch Deal Days on Sunday, too. The company promises even bigger savings during the three-day sale. Be sure to also check out Best Buy’s Bigger Deal savings event, and count Kohl’s in, too. The retailer is hosting a WOW Deals event to coincide with Prime Day and offering all shoppers the opportunity to earn $10 in Kohl’s cash for every $50 spent.