We’ve heard a lot about Amazon recently – its new campus headquarters, Whole Foods acquisition, and Prime Wardrobe to name some headlining news. All the press comes just in time for its annual Prime Day, when the site will offer thousands of deals to its Prime members.
The event officially kicks off on Monday, July 10 at 9 pm ET and concludes on Wednesday, July 12 at 3 am ET with new deals unveiled every five minutes in between. However, Amazon started generating hype for the actual event with deals starting on July 5.
The only catch about Prime Day is that, as the name implies, you have to be a Prime Member to participate (you can sign up or utilize Amazon’s 30-day trial). Once you’re all ready to shop, use these tips to get the most out of Prime Day.
1. Download the Amazon app. Prime Day only lasts for 30 hours, so you need to be quick about making purchases. Using the free Amazon app, you can view deals 24 hours before they go live. If you see something that interests you, press “Watch this deal” and you’ll be notified as soon as the item’s sale is active.
Using the app, you can also add items to Amazon’s Your List feature. Drag current sale items to the bottom of your screen, and they will be added to Your List. Here you can compare prices of different items before you buy.
2. Use your voice. Additional deals are offered when you use Alexa, Amazon’s voice-controlled assistant available on a variety of Amazon speakers and devices. Ask “Alexa, what are your deals?” to hear what’s on sale. Voice shoppers also get early access to Prime Day, allowing them to start shopping two hours earlier at 7 pm ET on July 10. Alexa users who aren’t yet Prime members can say, “Alexa sign up for Prime” and receive $20 off a $99 year-long subscription.
There’s also a bonus for first-time voice shoppers – when you make your first Alexa purchase you’ll receive a $10 promo code for future purchases. Some of Amazon’s voice deals went live on July 5, so you can access them now.
3. Watch for Lightning Deals. Amazon’s Lightning Deals are limited-time offers with limited inventory. Each deal has a status bar showing how much time is left for the deal and what quantity. These items are usually some of the best with the most extreme discounts, so be on the lookout. You can see Lightning Deals 24 hours before they go live, so check them out and purchase ASAP!
4. Donate to charity. If you want to give back as you shop, visit Amazon Smile to donate a percentage of your purchases to the charity of your choice (there are almost 1 million approved). The site has all the same products and features as the original, and you can login with your same Amazon account details to automatically support a charity whenever you make a purchase.
If you want to check out the shopping day that rivals Black Friday, remember to become an Amazon Prime member or try the 10-day free trial (you can cancel if it’s not for you after Prime Day). Happy Shopping!
Guest blogger: Mary Mulcahy
Mary is PR Intern at TDS Telecom and a Journalism student at UW-Madison. She recently returned from studying abroad in Galway, Ireland. In her free time she enjoys traveling, running, cooking, and reading.
