Amazon’s Prime Day sale is officially winding down. It kicked off early yesterday morning and will run through Wednesday, July 17, though we’ll be surprised if there’s no lingering deals following the end of the event.
Prime Day is Amazon’s biggest sale event of the year, when you can save big across 35 product categories, from tech to home goods to clothes. Prime members can shop for new deals as often as every five minutes during select periods of the event and partake in exclusive invite-only deals. Plus, market competition with Prime Day has turned the month of July into a true shopping extravaganza that mimics holiday-like sales in the heat of the summer, making it a great time to be a consumer (and a wallet).
Also: The best Prime Day deals right now
During this second day of Prime Day, we’ve seen continued discounts on Amazon-owned products like Ring doorbells, Kindles, Echo devices, Fire TVs, and more, and some seriously good Apple deals, like the lowest-ever-prices on the MacBook Air M2, MacBook Air M3, and the Watch Series 9.
In 2023, Prime members bought more than 375 million items and saved over $2.5 billion across the shopping site, the largest year on record for Amazon, according to the company. Since last July’s Prime Day sale, the company has held a Prime Big Deal Days sale in October and, in March, promoted a Big Spring Sale for the first time. Read on for everything you need to know about this year’s Prime Day sale, including some of the top deals you can snag right now.
Also: The best anti-Prime Day deals you can shop at Best Buy, Walmart, and beyond
The best Prime Day deals
Perhaps one of the best things about Amazon is you’ll find top deals on Amazon-exclusive products, tech, home, and everything in between. Here’s a look at some top deals we’ve found (including on everyday items) while scouring Amazon’s Prime Day page for the best savings.
What Prime Day deals can I expect?
Prime Day is always packed with deals across every category, especially flagship Amazon products like Echo devices, Fire TVs, Kindles, and more. Amazon says shoppers can anticipate deals across 35 categories, including home, tech, and more. During October Prime Day 2023, ZDNET readers scooped up savings on Fire Sticks, AirPods, chargers, and security cameras the most, but these Prime Day sales typically include many products.
Also: The 10 most popular October Prime Day deals among ZDNET readers
Amazon shared in its release that Prime members can expect to jump on back-to-school savings and college essentials, find deep discounts across the site, and find deals on “new and popular” brands only available on Amazon for the upcoming event.
Since the event kicked off, we’re seeing similar prices as offered during the days leading up to the sale on Amazon products like Fire Sticks, Echo devices, Fire TVs, Kindles, and more. Some Apple products, like the Watch SE and Series 9 have dropped below pre-Prime Day offerings, and many lifestyle and home products, like Dyson vacuums, dropped in price overnight, too.
How much cheaper are things on Prime Day?
Prime Day not only slashes prices on many top products on Amazon (across 35 categories, to be exact), but it also sparks generous competition among other major retailers such as Walmart, Target, Costco, Best Buy, and more. This means that you have a good chance of scoring a product you’ve been eyeing for a discount of 30%, 40%, 50%, and even more at Amazon, or nabbing the very same or even better discount elsewhere.
Plus, Prime Day is typically worth it for Amazon-exclusive products like Fire TVs, Fire tablets, Echo devices, Ring doorbells and cameras, Fire Sticks, and more (really, we’re already seeing discounts of over 50% on these items). While sale periods can sometimes be tricky to know if you’re getting the best deal, Prime Day generally does bring legitimate discounts, especially on tech. Remember, we’re already seeing new smartphones, TVs, tablets, and more releases, which means more savings are incoming for older products.
Everything to know about Prime Day
We’ve been keeping up with all the best Prime Day news since Amazon’s confirmation of their 10th annual Prime Day back in April, and we’ll continue to cover all the best deals you can shop during and after the popular event. Be sure to keep up with our Advice team on ZDNET.com throughout the sale. We’ll be updating the site with all the details you need to shop savvy — including the best deals on products we’ve personally tested and would recommend.
When is Amazon Prime Day 2024?
Amazon’s biggest sales event of the year, Prime Day 2024 started on Tuesday, July 16 at 12:01 a.m. PT, with major discounts across various product categories, including phones, laptops, TVs, audio, and more. While the best deals are available for Prime members only, sellers often mark down products for non-Prime members to take advantage of. The event officially takes place on July 16 and July 17. Plus, Amazon always has shoppable deals available you can explore.
When does Prime Day end?
Amazon Prime Day lasts exactly 48 hours. In the US, it kicked off at 12:01 a.m. PT on Tuesday, July 16 and will officially end on Wednesday, July 17 (today) at 11:59 p.m. PT. For those on the East Coast, that’s at 2:59 a.m. ET, which is technically Thursday, July 18.
What is Amazon Prime Day?
Prime Day is Amazon’s most popular flagship seasonal savings event, typically in mid-July each year.
Although Amazon has expanded to include an October Prime event and other sales, July Prime Day remains the pinnacle of Amazon sales. This exclusive event offers Amazon Prime members access to deals across all categories on Amazon.com, including home, tech, apparel, and more.
To shop Amazon Prime Day 2024, you must be an Amazon Prime member. If you’re not already a member, you can sign up for a 30-day free trial or opt for a discounted Prime Student membership if you’re a student. Prime membership is required to participate in Prime Day.
If you’re looking to shop on Prime Day without committing to a Prime membership, you can sign up for a free 30-day trial, shop for deals, and cancel before the trial period ends to avoid being charged.
Prime Day 2024 will take place in 24 countries, including the US, UK, Canada, Germany, India, and more. Amazon Prime membership costs $14.99 per month or $139 annually, with discounts available for college students and those with government assistance.
To join Amazon Prime or start a free trial, visit https://www.amazon.com/amazonprime. Amazon typically holds Prime Day once a year in mid-July, but has expanded to include additional sale events such as Prime Big Deal Days in October.
During Prime Day, ZDNET.com will provide live updates on the best deals across various product categories. Lightning Deals, time- and inventory-sensitive offers, will also be available throughout the sale. Other retailers like Walmart, Target, and Best Buy may offer competing sales and discounts during Prime Day.
It’s important to do your research on pricing and deals during Prime Day to ensure you’re getting the best value for your money. Amazon’s Prime Day deals may vary each day, with new deals popping up as frequently as every five minutes. Amazon determines the duration of deals, with lightning deals having a countdown to expiration and other deals lasting as long as products are in stock. Many Day 1 deals, including those on popular Amazon products like Fire TVs, Kindles, and Echo devices, are likely to carry over to Day 2.
There may still be lingering sales after Prime Day officially ends, but it’s recommended not to wait if there’s something you really want. Other retailers like Best Buy and Walmart may also have competitive deals extending beyond Prime Day. July is truly a bonanza of deals. Please rewrite this sentence.
