Yes, you will need to be a Prime member to shop Amazon’s Prime Day deals. However, non-Prime members can also take advantage of some discounts if the seller allows it.
Before Prime Day begins, it’s important to make sure your membership is up to date. You should also make a list of the items you want to buy.
Prime Day: Definition and Significance
Prime Day is an annual online sales event held exclusively for Amazon Prime members. The two-day event rakes in billions of dollars for the online retail giant and third-party sellers.
As of [year], there are more than 200 million paid Amazon Prime members worldwide. These members enjoy unlimited video streaming, free ad-free music and thousands of stations and playlists with Prime Music, and more than 3,000 books and magazines with Prime Reading.
During Prime Day, Amazon offers exclusive deals on electronics, including the popular Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote and Echo Dot devices. The retailer also sells other high-demand items like Kindle Paperwhite e-readers and Instant Pot 7-in-1 programmable pressure cookers.
Non-Amazon retailers also hold their own sales events during Prime Day. These competing sales may not be as significant, but they can help to drive awareness of their products and compete with Amazon’s price cuts. In addition, they can help build brand loyalty among consumers who may otherwise prefer to buy from a competitor. This halo effect can boost sales for both established and challenger brands.
Prime Membership: Features and Benefits
Prime members get a number of benefits, including free shipping on thousands of items, access to Prime Video, which includes original shows and movies, as well as Kindle Books. Additionally, Amazon Prime members can stream ad-free music, listen to playlists and stations, and get access to a library of tens of thousands of books with Prime Reading. Prime members can also enjoy a variety of games and content through the Prime Gaming service, as well as unlimited photo storage with Amazon Photos.
In addition to these perks, Prime members also get 30-minute early access to Amazon’s Lightning Deals. This is a great way to save money on items you might have been waiting for, such as diapers or laundry detergent.
Another benefit of Prime membership is Alexa Shopping, which allows you to add items to a virtual cart by simply dictating the command to a compatible Echo device. This feature can be especially helpful during Prime Day, when deals might be selling out fast. You can also use Alexa to track deals you are interested in, though this is only possible with newer generation Echo devices.
Exclusive Deals and Early Access for Prime Members
Prime members can take advantage of Amazon’s second Prime Day-like sale of the year, which kicked off on Tuesday October 11 and Wednesday October 12. The two-day event is billed as Prime Early Access and is only open to new and existing Prime members.
The sale features thousands of deals in categories such as electronics, fashion, home, kitchen, pets, toys, and Amazon devices. Popular cleaning gadgets like Shark vacuum cleaners and Bissell carpet cleaners are marked down, as are beauty products from brands such as Caudalie and Murad. The sale also offers savings on fitness gear from brands like Peloton, and air purifiers and humidifiers are available at some of their lowest prices of the year.
While many shoppers want to avoid crowds and long lines that are typical of Black Friday, the Prime Early Access sale is a good opportunity to get a head start on holiday shopping. For non-Prime members, there are plenty of other options for low-priced electronics and home goods, including sales from major retailers such as Walmart and Target.
Prime Day Deals for Non-Prime Members
If you’re not a member of Amazon Prime, the company’s membership program, you can still shop some of the deals. But you’ll need to sign up for a free trial of Prime before the sale starts.
During the event, you can also get deal notifications for specific products you’re interested in. Those are called Lightning Deals and may only be offered for a short amount of time, so you have to act fast. You can also create a list of items you’d like to watch for, and Amazon will notify you when the prices drop.
You can find Prime Day deals in a variety of categories, including electronics and appliances, home goods, beauty, and fitness equipment. Some of the best discounts are on Amazon devices like Echo Dots, Fire TV Sticks, and Kindles. But you can also save on popular products from other retailers, such as Fitbit smartwatches, Garmin running watches, and Samsung Galaxy phones. You can even score free shipping or curbside pickup at Target and Walmart. Many of these sales will be over by the end of Prime Day, so you’ll need to act quickly.
Prime Day Trial Membership and Promotions
Prime Day is Amazon’s annual deal event that offers discounts to Prime members only. This annual two-day sale was launched in 2015 and is usually held during the summer months. In [year], it was held on July 12 and 13.
Prime members get exclusive deals from third-party sellers as well as Amazon’s own line of products, such as Echo smart speakers, Fire tablets, and Kindle e-readers. Non-Prime members can also buy discounted items if they are available, but they won’t have access to the full selection of sales.
There is no completely free method for people to become a member of Amazon Prime, but it is possible to try out the service for 30 days without incurring any charges. You can do this by registering with a different email address, which will prevent any shipping updates from going to your regular account.
Alternatively, you can sign up for a 30-day trial of Prime through the Amazon website or app. However, this does require a valid credit or debit card number.
Alternatives to Prime Day for Non-Prime Members
As Amazon’s annual summer sales event grows in popularity, more retailers are launching their own deals to compete. These alternatives to Prime Day can be a great way to save on your favorite products without having to pay the yearly Prime subscription fee. From big-box stores like Walmart and Target to sustainable brands and small businesses, there are plenty of ways to score discounts on everything from electronics to home goods to beauty supplies.
One of the best ways to find deals during Prime Day is to track prices on items that you are interested in. You can do this by making a list or using the Amazon website’s price tracker feature. This will help you know when the item you want drops in price and will ensure that you get the deal while it lasts.
Alternatively, you can also sign up for a free 30-day Amazon Prime trial to see if the service is right for you before you commit to paying the annual subscription fee. You can then take advantage of a number of Amazon Prime benefits, including free shipping on orders over $35 and access to exclusive member-only deals throughout the year.
Evaluation of Prime Membership Worthiness
While the Prime Day deals are great, and membership perks like free shipping are valuable, the question of whether it’s worth it depends on what you use and how much you spend. For some people, especially those who shop a lot online, the $139 yearly fee for Prime might be worth it to avoid high shipping fees and get fast delivery.
The cost of the subscription also includes a wide variety of entertainment services, including Prime Video (which features hit shows like The Marvelous Mrs. Maise, Big Grrrls, Thirteen Lives, and Lizzo), Prime Music, Amazon Kids+, and Prime Reading. Prime members also get five GB of storage for photos and videos.
In addition, some credit cards offer rewards on Amazon purchases that can help offset the cost of the service. For instance, the Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card offers 5% cash back on Amazon purchases. But the cheapest way to try out Amazon Prime is to take advantage of its free 30-day trial. After that, if you don’t want to continue, cancel the service in advance before it renews.
Conclusion: Is Prime Day Only For Prime Members?
Despite being exclusively for Prime Members, Amazon’s Prime Day has grown into a global shopping event. Last year, it lasted for two days and had thousands of deals, including “lightning” ones that only last for a short amount of time or until they run out. The influx of deals can make it hard to keep track of what’s available, but you can follow Amazon on Twitter or websites like the Wirecutter for updates.
The biggest discounts typically appear on Amazon hardware, such as Echo speakers and Fire TV devices. However, the retailer has also been known to offer deals on popular brands like iRobot and InstantPot.
Even if you don’t have Prime, it’s worth checking out the sale. Non-Prime members can take advantage of sales on items like earbuds, robot vacuums, and air fryers that aren’t available during other times of the year. Besides, many retailers like Walmart and Target will have their own versions of Prime Day with similar deals. This is especially true for items that are in high demand during the holiday season.
