As we head towards the holiday season, spending goes up and retailers will be competing for your cash. Amazon’s second Prime Day sale—officially known as Prime Big Deal Days will take place on October 8 and 9, 2024. The sale kicks off at 3 a.m. Eastern time on October 8 and runs for 48 hours. The other big sales following Amazon’s extravaganza are of course Black Friday and Cyber Monday after Thanksgiving. Here’s how to make the most out of the sales and score some massive discounts.
RELATED: 33 Holiday Shopping Dos and Don’ts.
Don’t Just Focus on Amazon
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If you don’t use Amazon, you can still get some great deals. “There are some discounts available if you’re not a subscriber (those deals might not be that great),” says Wired. “But other major retailers like Best Buy and Target usually hold concurrent sales during Prime-exclusive sales events. Their prices are often close to what Amazon is offering on the same products, and sometimes they match the price.”
Always Check and Compare Prices
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Even if a deal seems amazing, check to see if another retailer is offering the item for the same discount or maybe even less. It’s more work but you could potentially save a lot of money.
Sign Up For Invite-Only
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Amazon allows Prime members to sign up for invite-only deals on big ticket items they know will be popular. You can request to join the list but there’s no guarantee you will actually be chosen. If you do get to buy your requested item, you have two days—until the end of the event—to complete your purchase at the sale price.
Make a List and Stick To It
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Be prepared for the sales by making a list of things you want to focus on so you don’t fall into the trap of impulsively buying what you don’t necessarily want or need. Are you really going to use that high-end blender? If not, move on. Particularly with lightning sales, it’s easy to just buy something because it’s a great deal, and then end up wasting your money on clutter.
Download Store Apps
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Using a store’s shopping app could give you an edge when it comes to snagging a great discount. For example, Amazon’s app lets you know about lightning deals ahead of time and you can sign up for notifications.
Don’t Forget Target!
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Target has some very good sales as well, with deals on items that could easily compete with Amazon. “Target’s Circle Week takes place the week before Prime Day, and Walmart will have a sale at the same time—July 8 to 11. Best Buy’s Black Friday in July sale will happen at the same time as Amazon’s. But even for Target and Walmart, we expect to see similar pricing at most retailers during Prime Day, giving you more options to shop and save,” says Consumer Reports.