What you need to know about Amazon Prime Day

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably know that Amazon (AMZN) Prime Day will happen Tuesday July 11.

The third annual sale by the e-commerce giant will feature thousands of lightning deals only available to Prime members – they will be in limited quantities and available for a limited time. From kitchenware to electronics, the inventory is diverse, and you’re guaranteed to find something you didn’t even know you wanted.

If you’re a Prime Day newbie, here are some things to know.

When is it?

Prime Day is July 11, but some deals will become available as early as 9pm ET on July 10. New deals will start about every 5 minutes for 30 full hours.

Certain deals that are labeled “Spotlight,” may return on July 11 while supplies last.

Not a Prime member?        

You have to be a Prime member in order to take full advantage of the deals, but it’s not too late. Simply go to Amazon.com to sign up. New members get a 30-day trial membership for free, so you could basically sign up for Prime Day, take advantage of the deals, and then cancel your account. If you want to keep it, membership costs $99 for the year, and includes free two-hour, same-day or two-day delivery. Students can sign up for a free 6-month trial here(Check out some other Prime perks here.)

How to find deals

Own an Amazon voice activated device like an Echo? Simply ask “Alexa, what are your deals?” The voice-activated personal assistant will share exclusive deals for shoppers and even buy them for you. (Synergy!) The deals are available on the Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Show, Amazon Tap, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Dash Wand, and compatible Fire tablets.

On the Amazon app or website, go to Today’s Deals and then click Upcoming. There you can see all of the deals 24 hours before they are live. If you’re using the app, add items that you like to your watch list and get an alert when it’s available to buy.

The Amazon Echo will sell for just $89.99 on Amazon Prime Day.

In a press release, Amazon gave a sneak peek of some of the deals that will be available during Prime Day. Some highlights include:

  • Save 50% on Amazon Echo, only $89.99
  • Fire 7, our best-selling tablet, only $29.99. Usually $49.99
  • Newly released Element 55-inch 4K Ultra HD smart LED TV – Amazon Fire TV Edition, only $399.99
  • 40-inch 1080p TCL TV, only $199.99
  • 55-inch premium brand 4K smart LED TV, only $599.99
  • Save up to 50% on select video games, consoles and accessories
  • Save big on diamond stud earrings – 1 carat diamond stud earrings for 499.99 or ½ carat diamond stud earrings for $239.99
  • Save up to 70% on select Samsonite two-piece spinner sets
  • Get up to 40% off on select furniture, mattresses and rugs
  • $100 off the Bissell Multi Reach Cordless Stick Vacuum
  • Save up to 30% on select Under Armour training gear
  • Skywalker Trampolines Jump N’ Dunk Trampoline with safety enclosure and basketball hoop, 8-Feet, only $119.99

Discounts on memberships

Leading up the big event, Amazon has released a handful of membership promotions for Prime users. Currently, members can:

PrimeNow offers essential household items (think cleaning supplies) with free two-hour shipping. If you’ve never tried it before, Amazon is offering $10 off your first order with the code “10PrimeDay.” That code will also earn you $10 off future orders.

What to know

If you’re an Amazon user, the site will show you deals from your most-shopped categories first, allowing you to quickly find the stuff you want.

With all of these deals, it’s very possible to miss one. If you see that an item is “100% claimed,” join the Waitlist. This way, Amazon can alert you if it becomes available again.

Planning to spend a lot on Prime Day? Then perhaps you should buy an Amazon gift card. If you’re a first timer, and you add $100 to your gift card balance, Amazon will give you $10. It’s not a lot, but it’s free money!

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