Update: New Prime Day deals are on their way. Make sure to check out our coverage of Amazon's Prime Early Access Sale, which begins on October 11.
Prime Day deals are over. However, Amazon has confirmed it will host a sale similar to Prime Day later this month. The Prime Early Access Sale will begin on October 11 for Prime members only.
According to Amazon, the 48-hour sale will offer hundreds of thousands of deals across all top categories, including electronics, fashion, home, kitchen, pets, toys, and Amazon devices. Amazon also specifically mentioned deals on Peloton, New Balance, and Philips Sonicare.
This isn't the first time Amazon has offered a major sale in October. Last year it held its Epic Daily Deals event, which lasted for the entire month of October. This year's sale will only last 48 hours, so at least on paper it'll be more similar to Prime Day.
For more ways to save, make sure to check out our list of the best Amazon promo codes. Or of course you can browse all the deals for yourself here (opens in new tab).
Will there be another Prime Day this year?
There will not be another Prime Day in 2022. However, Amazon has confirmed that it will have a Prime Early Access Sale on October 11. The 48-hour event will be a Prime member only sale with sitewide discounts on everything from 4K TVs to small kitchen appliances.
What is Prime Day?
Prime Day is a 48-hour retail holiday designed for Prime members. Amazon Prime Day originally started in July of 2015 as a way to celebrate Amazon's 20th anniversary. For 24 hours, Amazon slashed the price of hundreds of items on its site. The event was a hit and since then Amazon Prime Day has grown into a massive retail holiday.
Today, Prime Day deals include discounts on everything from the Echo Dot to Nike sneakers. It's become a massive juggernaut for Amazon and we predict it'll be just as strong in 2022 as it has been in previous years.
- Prime Day is a 2-day retail holiday for Prime members only
- Prime Day 2022 will be celebrated multiple countries
- Some of the best Prime Day deals will focus on Amazon hardware
What are today's best deals at Amazon?
How long do Prime Day deals last?
Prime Day 2022 lasted 48 hours as it did last year. However, Prime Day deals tend to sell out fast. Lightning deals, for example, can sell out in minutes. Our advice is that if you spot a deal you like, buy it on the spot. (After price checking other retailers, of course). In the case that you miss a deal, you can always check Amazon competitors like Walmart and Best Buy who will likely be price matching Amazon and offering the same or similar deals.
Tips for finding the best Prime Day deals
Price check everything: Our number one rule when shopping on Prime Day is to price check what you're about to buy. Price checking on Prime Day is quite easy. We're big fans of CamelCamelCamel, a website that price checks millions of items sold on Amazon. The website tracks price lows, so if the item you're looking at was cheaper in March, you'll be able to see the price difference. There's even a Chrome extension called Camelizer, which you can install and click on anytime you want to look at the price history of a product. Keep in mind that there might be some items CamelCamelCamel doesn't track.
Don't limit yourself to Amazon: That leads us to our second point: Prime Day is a faux retail holiday designed to promote Amazon devices and services. However, just like you wouldn't buy your entire wardrobe from one designer, you shouldn't do all of your Prime Day shopping at Amazon. Walmart, Target, and Best Buy are just a handful of competitors offering "Prime Day" sales of their own.
And based on what we saw from these retailers last year, we expect them to once again offer very competitive sales throughout the duration of Prime Day. Bottom line: Amazon doesn't always offer the best prices.
Take advantage of free credits: Amazon really wants you to spend money on Prime Day. However, if there aren't any items you want to buy or if you're just really trying to stick to your budget, there are some pretty amazing Prime Day deals you can get right now. We like these deals because after spending $10, you'll get a $10 Amazon credit in exchange.
Make sure to check out our dedicated Amazon promo codes page.
Watch out for shady reviews: In addition to fake deals, shoppers should always keep an eye out for fake reviews. Although Amazon has removed many bogus reviews from its website, there are so many that it's become near-impossible for Amazon to keep up. That's why we're fans of Fakespot. The site's engine can analyze the quality of reviews on any Amazon page and churn out a letter grade indicating whether the product has mostly fake or real reviews. ReviewMeta is a similar site that looks for suspicious terminology or repeated phrases in reviews before offering a failing or passing grade.
Don't be afraid of refurbs: Prime Day deals typically don't highlight deals on refurbished items. However, if you're looking to save the most possible a refurbished item may be the best route to go. Amazon tends to offer solid refurbished Apple Watch deals and the retailer also has an Amazon Warehouse website (opens in new tab) where it lists deals on pre-owned, used, and open-box items.
Where is Prime Day celebrated?
The first Amazon Prime Day was celebrated in 9 countries including the U.S., UK, Spain, Japan, Italy, Germany, France, Canada, and Austria. Amazon Prime Day has since expanded in popularity. Last year, Prime deals were held in 18 countries including the United States, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Spain, Singapore, Netherlands, Mexico, Luxembourg, Japan, Italy, India, Germany, Austria, France, China, Canada, Belgium, and Australia.
In 2022, Amazon Prime Day will be celebrated in Poland and Sweden for the first time. Later this summer, Prime Day deals will make their way to India, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt. It will be Egypt's first Prime Day celebration.
Amazon Prime Day Whole Foods deals
Amazon-owned organic grocer Whole Foods plays a huge role on Prime Day. In fact, one of our favorite Amazon Prime Day deals comes from Whole Foods. For the past three years, Amazon has given Prime members who shop at Whole Foods a $10 Amazon credit that can be used on Amazon Prime Day. Unfortunately, that deal is not available this year.
Other Prime Day deals with Whole Foods include discounts on seafood, meat, organic produce, and more. Even if you're not a fan of Whole Foods, it's worth shopping there in the lead up to Prime Day (and during Prime Day) for the savings.
- Single-serve mochi (BOGO)
- Beef rib steaks for $11.99/lb.
- Chilean sea bass for 25% off
- Reusable water bottles for 30% off
How to prepare for Amazon Prime Day 2022
- If you you're not a Prime member, you can't participate in Prime Day. However, what you can do is sign up for a free Prime membership (opens in new tab). The free trial lasts 30 days, which is more than enough time to take advantage of Amazon's sales. That said, you'll want to plan your free trial so it falls during Prime Day 2021.
- Prime Day 2022 is bound to be a record-breaking day(s) for Amazon. That means some shipments may fall through the cracks. Here's what to do in case you wind up with an Amazon Prime late delivery.
- Plan on cancelling your Prime membership? Check out our guide on how to cancel Amazon Prime.
- Don't buy any Amazon devices just yet. Prime Day deals tend to focus on Amazon gear (e.g. Echo Dot, Kindle Paperwhite). Wait till Prime Day when these devices see their lowest price of the year.
Alexa and Prime Day deal alerts
Alexa shopping has been around for quite some time. During Prime Day, Alexa can even tell you of the day's best deals. However, a new feature lets Amazon's digital assistant notify Prime members of upcoming deals on products they wish to track. You'll need to have a newer generation Echo smart speaker or smart display to use this perk. Nevertheless, it could be a cool perk for existing Prime members during Prime Day. Here's how to have Alexa notify you of upcoming deals.
What is the Amazon Prime Day Show?
The Amazon Prime Day Show is a three-part musical event to celebrate Prime Day. Last year's headliners were Billie Eilish, H.E.R., and Kid Cudi. The Prime Day Show is usually available to stream for Prime and non-members for 30 days.
Each celebrity stars in their own Prime Day Show, which lasts from 25 to 27 minutes. These aren't outright concerts, but instead Amazon describes them as "unique experiences that fuse performance and storytelling."
In 2018, Amazon chose Ariana Grande, Alessia Cara, Kelsea Ballerina, and Julia Michaels to headline their show. The following year the Amazon Prime Day concert featured Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa, Becky G, and SZA. There was no concert in 2020 and 2022.
Can I get a free Amazon Prime membership?
Prime Day deals are exclusive for Amazon Prime members only. However, if you're not a member, you can still participate by taking advantage of the retailer's free Amazon Prime trials. You can sign up for a free 30-day trial (opens in new tab) or a free 6-month trial if you're a student (opens in new tab). Additionally, EBT and government assistance recipients can sign up for a free 30-day trial (opens in new tab) and get 50% off their membership should they keep it.
What are the best alternative Prime Day deals?
Amazon's biggest competitors are offering alternative Prime Day sales right now. For instance, anyone can shop the Best Buy Black Friday in July sale or the Walmart Summer Sale. While there are many deals that overlap between all three retailers, Walmart does have the previous-gen iPad Air on sale for $379. It's an epic price on an iPad that still offers respectable performance.
