AMAZON PRIME DAY is arguably one of the most confusing shopping holidays in existence: It’s not even a “day” anymore, as last year the event spanned 48 hours. It includes some great deals—Amazon promises “millions of deals”—but the displayed discounts are often misleading, and while it’s advertised as a members-only event, some deals are available to people who don’t subscribe to Prime. Add in the frenzy of limited-time Lightning Deals and you’ve got a recipe perfect for spending too much money.
Fear not! We’re here to help. WIRED’s Reviews team is familiar with common shopping pitfalls, and I’ve been a deals writer for over a decade. What time do sales start and end? How do you tell whether a deal is actually a deal? We pooled our collective knowledge to get you prepared for Amazon Prime Day.
Amazon Prime Day will arrive in July. Last year, it occurred on July 16 and 17. It usually starts on a Tuesday. There's also a secondary Prime-exclusive savings event that usually happens in October.
The event always kicks off at 3 am Eastern time (midnight Pacific). WIRED will cover the best Prime Day deals from both Amazon and retailers that have competing sales. Some deals and sales will begin ahead of the official start time. (We'll be covering those too.)
