Tuesday, July 12 brings the second annual Amazon Prime Day. Last year Amazon promised deals better than Black Friday and got blasted on social media for 10 cent savings on 4K HDTVs. Amazon is promising better savings this year on more than 100,000 items throughout the day, nearly twice as many as last year.
Keep in mind that you have to be an Amazon Prime member to get the deals. You can sign up today for a free 30 day trial to beat what will be a rush tomorrow, but put a reminder on your calendar to cancel it before 30 days are up or you will get billed for $99. Also set up 1-click ordering so you won't waste time filling out addresses and credit card info. The best deals will go in seconds.
Here is a collection of tips from experts including AndreaWoroch.com, Slickdeals.net, and Kiplinger.com.
The better deals will probably be on video games, toys, computing devices, GoPro bundles, TVs and Fitbits.
Shop early. The best deals went quickly last year such as a 40-inch TV for $115 selling out in seconds. Deals start at the stroke of 2 a.m. CT.
Download the Amazon app. Amazon's app allows you to create a watch list and send notifications when they go on sale. The app becomes especially important on Prime Day. Keep your phone handy and watch for messages.
Check CamelCamelCamel.com for price histories on Amazon to see if the item you want is really at a good price. Even though Amazon is supposedly going to drop prices on the 100,000 items by 20% or more, according to an internal memo, it has in the past inflated list prices, according to ConsumerWorld.
Look for deals on Amazon brand products. Last year Amazon offered better deals on Amazon Fire products, Amazon Echo, and Amazon Elements household items.
TVs, yes TVs. Last year some were disappointed with meager discounts and sellouts, but Amazon is promising a better selection than on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. TVs 50-inches and better should see the best discounts, according to FatWallet. We'll see.
Don't limit yourself to Amazon. Competitors such as Wal-Mart and Macy's are joining in with deals of their own. Wal-Mart announced a free 30 day trial of its 2-day free shipping membership which normally costs $49 per year. Macy's offered free shipping with additional discounts last year. Check the following today and tomorrow for deals to come or already in progress: Target, Best Buy, Sears, Toys R Us, Babies R Us, Banana Republic, Gap and Old Navy.
