If you thought you’d have to wait until October to shop Amazon Prime Day like last year, we have good news: Amazon just announced that Prime Day 2021 will take place on Monday, June 21 and Tuesday, June 22. So mark your calendars: The retail giant’s biggest sale of the year is just under three weeks away.
Amazon Prime Day is officially happening from June 21 to June 22 this year.
Amazon Prime Day 2021 will start at 12 a.m. PDT on June 21 and extend through 11:59 p.m. PDT on June 22. Now that we know the exact timing of the savings event, let’s talk details. Below, you’ll find the answers to everything you could possibly want to know about Amazon’s biggest sale of the year. Plus, we’ve included some early deals for you to shop right now, if you’d rather not wait until later this month.
What Is Amazon Prime Day?
Amazon Prime Day is one of the most popular sales of the year. It started in July of 2015 as a 24-hour event to celebrate the company’s 20th anniversary, and has since morphed into an annual two-day affair in which Amazon offers major discounts across all of its product categories for the full 48 hours. Plus, there are a bunch of Lightning Deals which are only available for a (very) limited time. There are also pre-Prime Day and post-Prime Day deals in the weeks before and after the sale.
But to take advantage of the markdowns, you have to be an Amazon Prime member. After a 30-day free trial, membership will cost you $13/month. That’s a pretty good value if you shop online frequently and take advantage of the free shipping and other year-round perks. If you’re not already a member, here’s everything you need to know about how to sign up in time for Prime Day.
When Is Amazon Prime Day 2021?
As mentioned above, early this morning Amazon officially announced that Prime Day 2021 will take place from 12 a.m. PDT on Monday, June 21 to 11:59 p.m. PDT on Tuesday, June 22. Just like the past few years, that means you’ll have exactly 48 hours to take advantage of the site-wide discounts.
Some outlets have also reported that there may be two Prime Day events this year, with a second one taking place in the fall. Amazon hasn’t addressed those claims, though.
How Does Prime Day Work?
In years past, Amazon has released its Prime Day deals at midnight PDT on the first day of the sale, which translates to 3AM EDT. From that point on, many of the discounts are typically available through midnight PDT on the second day of the sale, with the exception of Lightning Deals which are usually only live for a few hours. As long as you’ve signed up for Amazon Prime, you can shop Prime Day deals and you’ll get free shipping on every order that you make during the 48-hour window (per usual).
What Will Be On Sale During Amazon Prime Day 2021?
Prime Day is a site-wide sale, so you can expect deals across all of Amazon’s product categories including tech, fashion, beauty and home. But beyond that, there’s no way to know exactly what’s going to be on sale until Prime Day actually starts. That said, we can make some predictions based on what we’ve seen in previous years.
It’s safe to say there will be huge discounts on Amazon devices, like the Echo Dot which was 40% off during last year’s sale. The shopping event also usually features great deals on robot vacuums, headphones and kitchen appliances. It’s also a good time to stock up on household and beauty items which we expect to find at a big discount. We’ve already gotten word from brands like L’Oréal that beauty and haircare products by Biolage, Mizani and Pureology will be up to 40% off.
Are There Prime Day Deals On Other Websites?
Technically, the official Amazon Prime Day deals are the ones that can be found on Amazon’s site during the 48-hour sale. That said, as Prime Day has grown in popularity, many retailers have started running competing sales during the same time period. If this year is anything like the past few, you can expect markdowns from Walmart, Best Buy and Target right around the time Prime Day deals drop, as well as a slew of others.
Are Prime Day Deals Worth It?
It depends on what you’re shopping for. As we said earlier, Prime Day typically features deep discounts on certain items like Amazon devices, robot vacuums, headphones and kitchen appliances. The markdowns are generally so big that you’re not likely to see discounts this deep again until Black Friday or Cyber Monday. In those cases, Prime Day deals are definitely worth it. On the other hand, sometimes brands offer really small markdowns on their products just to be part of the sale. In that case, you’ll want to pass on clicking “add to cart.” Keep an eye out for our coverage during Amazon Prime Day if you want to be sure you’re getting a good deal—we’ll only cover the ones that are actually worth shopping.
Do You Actually Save Money On Prime Day?
Similar to the question above, this answer depends on what you buy during Prime Day. If you’re shopping for certain items like the aforementioned Amazon devices, robot vacuums, headphones and kitchen appliances, you’ll likely save a good amount of money on you Prime Day haul. That said, if you end up buying items that are only marked down by 5 to 10%, you’re not likely to save very much, since Amazon offers those kind of markdowns year-round. A surefire way to tell you’re saving money is to use CamelCamelCamel, a site that allows you to see how a product’s price on Amazon fluctuates over time. Search the products you’re interested in, and you can see whether their Prime Day prices are actually good compared to how much they normally sell for.
How To Prepare For Amazon Prime Day 2021
First, make sure you’re signed up for Amazon Prime. If you’re aren’t yet, we have a guide on how to do so ahead of Prime Day. It’s also a good idea to create a shopping list detailing any products you need, or items you’ve had your eye on for a while now. This will prevent you from getting sucked into the Amazon Prime Day craziness and help you avoid tough decisions on what to buy with so many great deals available. We’ll also be releasing guides on which items to look for deals on during the sale over the next few weeks, so stay tuned for those.
How To Save The Most Money On Prime Day
There are seven tricks you can use to make sure you’re saving the most money possible on Prime Day. They include getting a discounted Prime membership, getting a cash bonus when you purchase an Amazon gift card, using an online resource to track price history of items for sale on Prime Day, comparing Prime Day prices to those from other retailers, signing up for an Amazon Prime Visa card and keeping an eye on lightning deals. For details, see the story in the link below. Even if you just use one or two of these strategies, you’ll be making the most of Prime Day savings.
The Best Pre Prime Day Deals To Shop Now
If you don’t want to wait for the Prime Day discounts to drop, you’re in luck. Here, check out 6 Amazon deals that are available right now.
Take 30% Off The Latest Amazon Echo
Amazon’s newest smart speaker typically costs $50, but right now you can get it on sale for just $35. Like previous versions of the Echo, you can ask Alex to play music, audiobooks or podcasts, tell you the news, check the weather, set alarms and even call a friend or family member. What makes the 4th generation model special, though, is its improved sound quality and stylish spherical design.
Save 34% On A Top-Rated Hair Waver
Create voluminous, beachy bends at home thanks to this ceramic hair waver. Just set it to your desired temperature using the LCD screen, clamp a section of your hair between the prongs and you’ll be left with pretty, loose waves. According to over 8,000 five-star reviewers, it heats up fast, creates consistent waves and is easy to use regardless of your hair’s length.
This Alexa-Connected Security Camera Is 43% Off
This weatherproof camera makes it easy to see what’s going on outside your house at any time of the day or night. It rotates 355° horizontally and 110° vertically to save you the hassle of having to install multiple cameras at different angles. You can also connect it to your Echo Show and ask Alexa to show you the device’s view—that way you don’t even have to pull out your phone to check it.
Score This XTerra Treadmill For Under $400
If you’ve been on the hunt for a compact folding treadmill, look no further. With a 16-inch-wide by 50-inch-long belt, this one doesn’t take up much floor space, and can easily be folded up out of the way when not in use. But it’s definitely not flimsy—users say it’s sturdy enough to withstand running and even sprinting without issue.
Get These Best-Selling Wireless Earbuds For 57% Off
There’s no need to wait until Prime Day to pick up a new pair of headphones when these are already on sale for $26. At such a low price, you might think they’d offer poor sound quality or meager battery life but according to a whopping 88,000 five-star reviews, some of which come from professional musicians and self-proclaimed earbud junkies, these headphones offer amazing sound quality and offer a pretty good amount of playtime (around 6 hours) per charge.
Claim This Compact Fire Pit For 36% Off
Summer is just weeks away, and fire pits are selling out left and right. So to find one both in stock and on sale is pretty lucky. This compact 22-inch-wide design from Kingso earns points with buyers for its easy assembly, durability and included spark screen. Multiple owners say for this price, you’d be hard pressed to find a better fire pit.
