By Erin Coduti, DealNews
Amazon has held a Prime Day shopping event for the past two years, and we’re predicting a three-peat in 2017. So when is Amazon Prime Day 2017 going to happen, and what deals can you expect? Read on to find out.
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When is Amazon Prime Day 2017?
Last year, Prime Day was held on July 12, the second Tuesday of the month. If Amazon repeats itself this year, then that would put Prime Day 2017 on Tuesday, July 11.
Who can shop Amazon Prime Day?
Sorry, but we have to be clear: This sale isn’t for everyone. As the name indicates, only Amazon Prime subscribers can shop Amazon Prime Day. However, this group includes free trial members, guests who’ve been invited as part of an Amazon Household, and users with AmazonFresh, Amazon Family, or Prime Student memberships.
What is Prime Day, anyway?
During Prime Day, Amazon offers thousands of deals. Some are all-day offers, while others are available for only a brief period. Those sales, called “Lightning Deals,” launch every few minutes throughout the day.
With such different time frames for so many sales — featuring everything from TVs to baby wipes — finding the deals you want can be hard. One way to make things easier? Download the Amazon app on your phone and look through upcoming deals for the categories you’re interested in. If you add a deal to your “watching” list, you’ll get a notice through the app when that deal is about to go live.
Once you see the deal go live, it’s a good idea to hit “add to cart” immediately. You’ll have a few minutes to either complete your purchase or remove the item from your cart, and some goods sell out in seconds. Even if a deal says “100% claimed,” don’t be shy about putting yourself on the waitlist. Many of the people who immediately claimed the deal might decide to pass after a little thought.
What should you buy when you shop Amazon Prime Day?
While many of the Prime Day deals will be a surprise, you can pretty much count on solid discounts for Amazon-brand products — especially anything new. This year, those new things include the latest Fire HD 8 tablet and the Echo Show. However, since Echo Show is due for release at the end of June, any discount on that particular product would likely be small.
Last year we saw a $15 low on the Fire TV Stick, $50 off an Echo, a $60 low on a Fire TV media player bundle, as well as similar discounts on Fire tablets, Kindles and more. We also saw a $10 Amazon credit offered with the purchase of $50 in Amazon gift cards. Essentially, if your heart is set on something Amazon-branded, keep your eyes open during Prime Day.
Deals on HomeKit and Alexa products
We also expect deals on items that tie in with the Alexa and HomeKit ecosystems — products like Philips Hue lights, Ecobee4 thermostats and smart light switches.
Looking for other good bets? Several categories did very well for Amazon last year, so we can expect to see similar deals this year. Those categories include:
- Toys: more than 2 million sold during Prime Day 2016
- Shoes: more than 1 million pairs sold
- Headphones: more than 200,000 sold
- TVs: more than 90,000 sold
Save at Amazon throughout the year
Whether you shop during Prime Day or skip it, there are ways to save with Amazon year-round. Check out all the perks that come with an Amazon Prime membership, along with the ways to save on an Amazon Prime subscription. And, of course, we’re always listing the latest Amazon sales, coupons and freebies.
Are you planning to shop Prime Day this year? What items are you hoping to see? Let us know in the comments below!
