WASHINGTON — It's time for Amazon's yearly Prime Day sale — a two-day online shopping extravaganza meant to draw customers to the company's Prime membership. It's also time for plenty of other big sales from competitors hoping to cash in.
Shoppers will be able to find discounts on all kinds of products, especially Amazon-branded offerings like Echo smart speakers and Fire TVs. The e-commerce giant is also promising deals from small businesses, major brands like YETI and Sony, and everything in between.
It's enough to overwhelm even a seasoned online shopper! Here's a quick guide to help you take advantage of the deals while staying sane.
What is Amazon Prime Day?
Prime Day is an annual sitewide sale for members of Amazon’s $139-a-year subscription membership, Amazon Prime. Long before Amazon launched Prime Day in 2015, summer sales events were a common way for retailers to clear out old inventory while planning for the holidays.
“The concept of having sales at this time in the summer is far from new,” said Claire Tassin, lead retail and e-commerce analyst at survey research firm Morning Consult. “People have used ‘Christmas in July’ marketing since the 50s.”
Amazon – and its competitors – now use summer sales events to boost signups to membership programs.
There are plenty of perks for consumers, too. While Christmas is out of mind for all but the most far-sighted shoppers, Tassin said summer sales events are a popular time for parents to get ahead of back-to-school shopping. Other customers are watching for steep discounts on pricey, discretionary purchases in the wake of high inflation.
“People’s budgets are still strained,” Tassin said. “They’re still spending but they’re very deal-sensitive and savvy, even more so than normal. So consumers are telling us that they’re looking for deals and promotions more than they typically are.”
What day is Amazon Prime Day?
Amazon Prime Day 2023 runs from July 11 through July 12.
What time does Amazon Prime Day start?
Prime Day began at 3 a.m. Eastern on Tuesday, July 11.
Do you need to be a Prime member for Prime Day deals?
Yes, Prime Day sales are only for Prime members. Other shoppers can get access by signing up for a free 30-day trial, but that option is only available if you haven't been a member in the last 12 months. Remember to mark your calendar or set a phone reminder to cancel if you don't want to keep the membership.
What other sales are going on?
Target, Walmart and other big chains have their own competing sales events this week, including:
- Target Circle Week - July 9-15
- Walmart+ Week - July 10-13
- Best Buy Black Friday in July - July 10-12
Tips and tricks
With the clock ticking for many of the most popular sales, it’s easy to make an impulse buy. Knowing what you want to buy ahead of time can cut down on unexpected wallet strain, Tassin said. It’s also helpful to compare the “sale” price from different retailers to make sure you’re getting the best deal.
Deals, not steals
If you’re doing a lot of online shopping, it’s a good idea to watch out for common scams. The Better Business Bureau is warning shoppers about social media ads drawing customers to “lookalike” websites, unsolicited texts claiming you need to click a link to fix a delivery problem, and other common e-commerce scams.
“A lot of what we see this time of year is a remix of things we see throughout the rest of the year – so fake deliveries, fake products, fake services, fake companies,” said Josh Planos, the BBB's vice president of communications and public relations.
If you do get a text or email with a link or see a too-good-to-be-true social media ad, it’s a good idea to go to the retailer’s official app or website instead of clicking.
Andrew Weil contributed to this report.