What is Amazon Prime Day 2020? The Best Early Deals to Know

Anyone who lives for the thrill of a great markdown, gird your loins: Amazon Prime Day 2020, the retailer’s biggest shopping day of the year, starts tomorrow, and the early deals have already started. Each Prime Day, Amazon Prime members are eligible to shop hundreds of markdowns on products from rarely-on-sale brands like Olaplex and Dyson and Vitamix, across beauty, fashion, fitness, tech, and home categories. Amazon Prime Day is one of the best times of the year to spring for big-ticket tech and home items (in the market for a TV?), snag an Amazon device for less (like the Kindle or Echo Show), and shop other rare lightning deals (limited-time offers that last just a few hours) that pop up throughout the event.

While you can sign up to be a Prime member at any point during the sale, we suggest joining ASAP to avoid missing out on the deals that have already started early and to get ahead of the crowd for the day itself, as many of the harder-to-come-by deals will certainly be short-lived. 

If you’re not already a member, sign up to start a 30-day trial and get access to exclusive discounts, as well as faster delivery options all year long, but especially ahead of the holiday rush. Navigating all the particulars around Amazon Prime Day can be a headache, which is why we’re setting you up for success with some need-to-know info on how and when to shop.

Here, we’ve pulled together a quick guide on what to expect when sifting through some of the most coveted online deals available during Amazon Prime Day 2020.

When exactly is Amazon Prime Day 2020?

While the shopping “holiday” is usually a summer event that falls somewhere in mid-July, this year, given the state of everything, Amazon announced that Prime Day will run in the beginning of autumn: from Tuesday, October 13, 12 a.m. PT, through Wednesday, October 14 at midnight PT, with early-access deals on select devices and products.

How can I prepare to shop till I drop on Prime Day?

Aside from setting multiple alarms to remind you about Amazon Prime Day 2020 on October 13 and 14, there are a number of ways to flex your fingers for all the discounts the occasion has to offer:

1. Download the Amazon app.

You don’t even need to open your laptop to take advantage of the awesome deals this Prime Day. Shoppers can use the Amazon app and tap Watch This Deal to keep tabs on a few of their favorite items.

2. Ask Alexa herself about deals.

If you already have an Echo device, you can ask Alexa about the latest markdowns for Amazon Prime Day by saying, “Alexa, what are my deals?”

3. Keep your eyes peeled for Amazon deal badges.

Navigating the Amazon homepage on Prime Day can be a nightmare, so to distinguish Prime Day deals separately from any other discount on the site, Amazon will list eligible items with a blue Prime Day badge to make it easy for shoppers to scope out product markdowns.

4. Try out Amazon Assistant.

If you’re interested in buying a product on Prime Day but wonder if you can find a better deal elsewhere, the Amazon Assistant provides comparison shopping information on the items you’re most interested in. Amazon Assistant can also flag order updates, new daily deals to check out, and offers personalized recommendations on the best items to buy next.

How will Amazon Prime Day be different this year?

Of course, the holiday will look slightly different this year due to the pandemic (hence the timing), and as a result, you might notice some delays in shipping. On a more positive note, Amazon is using the occasion to help support small businesses until the end of the day by offering a $10 credit for customers who spend $10 or more on items sold by select small businesses in Amazon’s store. See more details here.

What are some worthwhile early Amazon deals to shop right now?

Incredibly, Amazon Prime Day 2020 is tomorrow, October 13, but today, the retailer is offering select items to shop ahead of the sale, which should hold you over until then. Right now, members can take advantage of exclusive early Prime Day sales on popular products like the Bissell Turboclean vacuum, Amazon Echo dot, and Cosori air fryer.

Readers who want to immerse themselves in a few good reads can also enjoy a big discount on Amazon’s Kindle subscription, which includes six months of unlimited reading and listening on any device. Plus, anyone in need (or want) of some stylish clothing and accessories should be on the lookout for early Amazon Fashion deals.