Doesn’t Prime Day feel like it comes around sooner every year? Kind of like Christmas but for anyone who’s hunting around for deals, we’re huge fans of Amazon’s Prime Day event. It’s often one of the best times of year to score a great deal on some very highly sought-after products. If you’ve somehow missed all the fuss in recent years, or you simply need a refresher on the event, we’re here to help. Below, we’ve explained exactly what is Prime Day (you’re going to love it), when the event is taking place, and what to expect too. If you’re wondering if other retailers are getting in on the act and everything else you need to know, we’ve got you covered. We’ve also rounded up some early deals you can shop right now below.
Prime Day Laptop Deals by Type
Today’s best Prime Day deals
Retailers like Best Buy and Walmart have kicked off sales to rival Prime Day, and we’ve rounded up some of the best early Prime Day deals you can shop below. Our favorite offer? Well, that would have to be a 50-inch 4K TV for under $200 at Walmart.
What is Prime Day?
Prime Day is Amazon’s biggest sales event of the year. It also tends to be the biggest sales period outside of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
The event started back in 2015 to celebrate Amazon’s 20th birthday. Since then, it’s gone from strength to strength with hundreds of millions of products sold during the event. Originally, it started out as a one-day sales event but it now encompasses two days so there are plenty of opportunities to save big.
Predictably, many Amazon-owned products like Kindles, Echo speakers, Ring doorbells, and more are part of the sales event, but pretty much all major manufacturers get involved with some hefty discounts to enjoy here.
Some products may be discounted for the entire two-day event while others can be reduced for just a matter of hours or until they sell out. That’s why it’s important to keep a keen eye on what goes on sale as part of Prime Day. The fastest finger tends to get the best discount.
When is Prime Day 2023?
Prime Day 2023 is starting on July 11 and will run through July 12, Amazon has announced.
Traditionally, Prime Day has almost always occurred in July due to that being the month of Amazon’s birthday. Past days have included the very first one on July 15, 2015, with subsequent dates around the July 11-17 mark so this one is in square Prime Day territory. The only exception to this rule was during 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted supply chain issues and the world on the whole. Back then, Prime Day occurred October 13 and October 14. Prime Day 2021 was placed at a slightly unusual time too, landing on June 21 and June 22. Besides those two years where things were very different for the world, all other Prime Days have fallen during the second week of July so we’re not surprised to see Prime Day 2023 where it is.
Last year, we also saw the Prime Early Access Sale which ran October 11 and October 12 in the run-up to Black Friday. While it had a very similar name, it wasn’t technically a Prime Day sale even though it did offer similar discounts and deals.
Despite the name, Prime Day is now a two-day event. That’s not including its many early deals that tend to unfold in the weeks leading up to the main event. Usually, the focus of these early deals is on Amazon products and subscription services with discounts on Echo speakers, Audible, Kindle Unlimited, and other Amazon-owned properties.
Do other retailers have Prime Day deals?
Yes! While Prime Day itself is obviously an Amazon exclusive, many other retailers run their own sales during the same time period. It’s all in a bid to capture the excitement of sales time which often means we all end up looking around for great deals. While those retailers may not have as big a sale as they might around Black Friday, it’s still worth seeing what’s out there.
Typically, we see Best Buy and Walmart run their own sales events during Prime Day week. Usually, these sales have their own names to make them stand out from Amazon’s way of doing things. Similar items tend to be part of the sale including TVs, smartwatches, headphones, cooking gadgets, and a heap more too.
Other retailers like Dell and HP are also likely to have sales on around Prime Day 2023. While these will focus on laptops and PCs, if you’re looking for such a system or a new monitor or similar, you’re sure to save big by searching around and seeing what works best for your budget and needs. Generally, don’t be afraid to see what’s out there during the Prime Day event or the week surrounding it either. There should be some excellent bargains around.
Are Prime Day deals only for Prime subscribers?
For the most part, yes Prime Day deals are only for Prime members. While some deals tend to be available for all customers during Prime Day, they don’t tend to be as great a discount as they would be for a Prime member. It’s a really good idea to sign up for Amazon Prime in time for the Prime Day sale. Amazon Prime costs $15 per month or $139 a year so it may not always be good value to pursue this route, depending on the discount you’re seeking.
Fortunately, there is an Amazon Prime free trial if you haven’t used it before. It gives you a month’s worth of access to Prime including all the benefits like Prime Video, but most importantly, means you can check out the Prime Day 2023 sale just like if you were a regular subscriber. Just remember to cancel it before the month is up and you won’t pay a cent for the service.
Of course, Amazon Prime Day deals might be exclusive to Prime members but that’s not the case for any other retailer putting on a sale. If you don’t want to sign up for Amazon Prime or have already used a free trial, you can still check out the sales that retailers like Best Buy or Walmart are hosting at the same time. In some cases, discounts could be the same so you won’t miss out by doing so.
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