Prime Day 2019: Everything You Need to Know
Prime Day is (probably) upon us. Ahead of Amazon's annual Black Friday-like event, here's what you need to know to snag the best Prime Day deals.
By Grant Brunner •
This story originally appeared on PCMag
Are you ready, deal hunters? No need to wait until Black Friday to save big; Amazon appears poised to once again hold its annual Prime Day this summer.
What Day Is Prime Day?
The company has not yet confirmed when Prime Day 2019 will be held, but in the last two years, the discount extravaganza has expanded into a two-day opportunity to give your credit card a workout.
Prime Day 2018 started on Monday, July 16 at noon PT / 3 p.m. ET and lasted 36 hours. The year before that, it began at 9 p.m. ET on Monday, July 10, and ended at 3 a.m. ET on Wednesday, July 12. So we can probably expect something similar for Prime Day 2019.
This being Prime Day, you'll need to be a Prime member to get the best bargains. If you're not, it's free to join for 30 days, after which it's $119 per year.
What Will Be on Sale?
One sure bet for Prime Day savings are discounts on the devices that Amazon itself produces. Look for deals on Echo devices, Fire tablets, Kindle e-readers, Fire TV media streamers and other smart home gadgets.
Deals will likely start before Prime Day. Last year, in the two weeks leading up to Prime Day, Amazon offered discounts on Amazon devices, AmazonBasics gadgets, Kindle Unlimited and more. So keep an eye on the site as July kicks off.
In 2018, people purchased more than 1 million smart home devices on Prime Day, Amazon said. But shoppers also snapped up more than 300,000 Instant Pots and 150,000 LifeStraw Personal Water Filters, not to mention millions of pencils and pens ahead of back-to-school season.
Here at PCMag, we'll be keeping an eye out for the best deals on laptops, desktops, TVs, networking equipment, smart home gadgets and more.
How to Shop on Prime Day
Naturally, you can log on to Amazon.com via your laptop, but here are some options to consider, too.
- Amazon Smile: When you shop via smile.amazon.com (versus www.amazon.com), Amazon donates 0.5 percent of the purchase price of eligible products to a charitable organization of your choice. The interface is the same, so it's an easy way to give back as you load up your shopping cart.
- Amazon app: If you'll be out and about on Prime Day, download Amazon's mobile apps, log in, and you'll be ready to shop wherever you are.
- Ask Alexa: Why move at all? The main idea behind Amazon's Echo devices is to sell you stuff, so Alexa is more than willing to help you add things to your cart. There might even be some voice-exclusive Prime Day deals, so make sure to ask Alexa what she has for you.
- Whole Foods: In 2018, Prime members got $10 on Amazon for Prime Day when they shopped in Whole Foods Market. There were also Visa cashback and discounts on select items in-store.
