Amazon Prime Day 2020: Insider shopping tips and sales you can’t afford to miss
Corrections & Clarifications: A previous version of this story misidentified the start time for Amazon Prime Day.
Amazon Prime Day is Christmas in July for techies – most years, that is. In 2020, following pandemic-delays, the two-day sale kicks off on Oct. 13 at midnight PT.
I’ve told you before about all the great perks you get with an Amazon Prime membership – here are 11 of my favorites – and Prime Day sales might just top the list. In fact, Amazon customers will spend an estimated $10 billion next week.
It’s not just tech and gadgets on sale. You’ll find hot deals across just about every category. The main Prime Day deals page is a good place to get started.
But many deals expire quickly, and new ones appear steadily, often without much notice. I’ve got insider tips to help you get the most bang for your buck.
1. Ask Alexa for the latest deals
To hear the latest exclusive deals, ask the Amazon virtual assistant, “Alexa, what are your deals?” You’ll hear a list of up-to-date price drops and offers – and you can also ask Alexa to buy them for you right on the spot.
Some offers Alexa shares can only be accessed through an Echo device or the Alexa apps, so you won’t see them on Amazon.com. Good things do come to those who ask.
2. Download the app
Amazon’s smartphone app gives you a sneak peek at Prime Day deals before they go live on the website. To see the deals, open the app and search for “Sneak Peek.” Now just mark items you’re interested in as “watching,” and you’ll receive a notification when the price drops.
To see the deals, tap the three-line menu icon. Under Programs & Features, tap Today’s Deals, then Upcoming. Select Watch this deal to be notified when the price drops.
Be sure to enable notifications. Tap the three-line icon in the upper left corner of the app, then tap Settings > Notifications. On the next page, enable Personalized Notifications.
If there’s a specific item you want and don’t see it in upcoming sales, you can create a wishlist and Amazon will notify you if it ends up as part of a new Prime Day deal. Tap Add to list on the item’s page, below the “Add gift options” checkbox on desktop and mobile.
You can also preview upcoming Lightning Deals before they go live. This is helpful since these tend to sell out very quickly. Select Join Waitlist on a Lightning Deal to claim a spot. Once it goes live, you’ll get an alert.
Act quickly! When you get the alert, you have just 15 minutes to make the purchase. Otherwise, it will be deleted from your cart.
Amazon Prime Day 2020: How small businesses can also benefit from the shopping event
3. Spend $10, get $10
Amazon is showing support for small businesses with its Spend $10, get $10 program. Prime Members who buy from select small businesses will get $10 worth of credit to use for Prime Day. Just take a look at the list here and see if anything catches your eye.
It’s not just online shops that give you a bonus. You can also qualify for the $10 credit by shopping at brick-and-mortar Amazon stores and Whole Foods markets.
4. Sites and browser extensions that can save you even more
The Amazon Assistant browser extension compares products and prices while you search on Amazon and will notify you when deals go live. You can access wishlists right in your browser, too.
It uses your browsing activity for targeted recommendations. If you’re not comfortable with that, skip it. Tap or click here to install the Amazon Assistant for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari.
The Honey browser extension is the best way I’ve found to find coupon codes that actually work. Install it in just a click, then the best promo code is automatically added to your cart, on Amazon or thousands of other participating sites.
Capital One’s Wikibuy gives you a side-by-side comparison of prices from multiple retailers. That’s useful when so many sites have products on sale.
The Camelcamelcamel extension tracks price drops on Amazon so you don’t have to keep refreshing. It’s also a great way to see if the prices offered are truly a great deal.
5. Know what to buy and what to skip
The savviest shoppers know there are items you should be on the hunt for and others you should hold off. With holiday deals not far behind, that’s even more true this year. This is not the time to buy video games, for example.
To help you navigate it all, I spoke with shopping and deals expert Kristin McGrath, Editor of BlackFriday.com, on a special Tech You Should Know podcast. This is Kristin’s wheelhouse, and she shares some killer secrets for getting the most out of your money.
Listen here on my site, or find it wherever you listen to podcasts. Just search using my last name, Komando.
Amazon Prime Day kicks off at midnight EDT (9 p.m. PDT) on Oct.13 and runs through Oct. 14. The deals won’t last, so set those alerts before it’s too late! Happy shopping!
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Learn about all the latest technology on the Kim Komando Show, the nation's largest weekend radio talk show. Kim takes calls and dispenses advice on today's digital lifestyle, from smartphones and tablets to online privacy and data hacks. For her daily tips, free newsletters and more, visit her website at Komando.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Insider shopping tips and sales for Amazon Prime Day 2020.
