Amazon Prime Day begins at 12 p.m. PT, and some of the biggest deals have already been revealed.
Prime Day is Amazon‘s annual self-imposed Black Friday. It’s a chance for the company to move a lot of merchandise all at once and clear space for the upcoming winter holiday season. It is also the online store’s best chance to compete with summer deals at physical retailers, where things can be moved around more fluidly throughout the season while people are in more of a spending mood.
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This year is no exception. Amazon will offer enormous discounts to Prime Members in every category of its massive inventory. For the savvy shopper, this is a great chance to pick up items that have been just out of reach on your wishlist, or to stock up on supplies you use a lot.
However, it is a dangerous time as well, since the site is effectively self-advertising with “related items” and “shoppers also bought” columns. If you’re not careful, it is easy to max out a credit card (or two) on things you didn’t even know you wanted.
Of course, there are those who might be disappointed by the offerings on Prime Day. In the age of online shopping, consumers have the liberty of being more discerning, doing research and finding precisely what they want. On Prime Day, Amazon will almost certainly offer you some version of what you want at a steep discount, but if you are very particular about one brand or model of a product, don’t get your hopes up too high. The deals are contingent on a massive network of suppliers, multi-national shipping corporations and minute fluctuations in the market.
In fact, Prime Day has been criticized in the past for being over-hyped. After weeks of being hounded by ads, some users log onto Amazon on the day in question and find it a lackluster show. In part, this could have something to do with its self-contained nature. Prime Day exists outside of the broader frantic spending context of sales like Black Friday, so the pressure is off in a certain way.
Still, 2018 could be the year that Prime Day becomes indespensible. It was a massive year for Amazon. The company’s worth grew so much that founder Jeff Bezos — whose fortune is largely in Amazon stock — became the world’s first centi-billionaire. In other words, he has a personal fortune of over $100 billion dollars, and is the richest man on Earth by a wide margin.
With that in mind, the company can afford to pull out all of the stops this summer. At the very least, it is worth popping over to Amazon for a while on Monday afternoon. Prime day begins officially at noon on the west coast, or 3 p.m. ET. Here is a look at some of the best deals coming to the site.
Dashcam & Bluetooth Speaker: $146
When Prime Day begins in earnest, the Vantrue N2 Pro dashcam will drop from $199 to $146. According to a report by CNET, you’ll need the promo code PRIMEVNP. With this, you can also add the Vantrue V1 Bluetooth speaker to your order at no charge. Simply put the $50 speaker in your cart and it will become free at check-out!
Nvidia 4K Streaming: $139
The Nvidia Shield TV is one of the best ways to stream in 4K right now. However, many haven’t committed to the high-definition since it retails for $179. That won’t be the case on Prime Day, when it will be available for just $139. Still, make sure your TV is 4K before you invest in this box.
Huawei Phones: $169
Amazon is offering a huge discount on Huawei phones on Prime Day. Normally $499, the Honor View 10 will be available for $399, while the Honor 7X will be selling for just $169 instead of its usual $199. It has already been a hot summer, so if you’ve dropped your phone in a pool already, now might be the time to pick up a replacement.
Free PC Games
Amazon Prime does a lot for gamers who subscribe, giving away free games each month. In the lead-up to Prime Day, that pace has accelerated, offering free downloads of different games each day. If you have not taken a look yet, peak at their game selection before it’s too late, as the titles are rotating quickly.
Whole Foods Credit
Amazon is taking full advantage of its acquisition of Whole Foods Market. On Prime Day, any Prime Members who shop at Whole Foods have a chance to get a $10 credit at check out. As long as you spend $10 at Whole Foods — admittedly, not hard to do — you can scan the Prime Code in your Amazon or Whole Foods app at check out and the credit will be applied to your account. This offer is only active during Prime Day, however.
The Echo Show: $130
Of course, many of Amazon’s biggest deals are on its own products and services, including their Amazon Echo Show. The latest smart-home companion has a screen attached for maximum convenience. Before Prime Day even began, the price dropped from $230 to $130. There’s no telling how cheap this device could become when the clock strikes noon in Seattle.
Audible: $4.95
Amazon’s hugely successful audiobook subscription service is normally $14.95 per month. In the lead-up a to Prime Day, the same service was offered at an inexplicable $4.95 per month for three months. This deal is not even restricted to new subscribers — meaning those already enjoying Audible might be able to save about $30 on their next three months of of listening.
Kindle Unlimited: $1
For those that prefer to read with their eyes, there’s another deal for you as well. Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited subscription offers countless e-book titles on any Kindle-enabled device — which is not even necessarily restricted to Amazon’s proprietary e-readers.
Normally, the subscription is $10 per month. On Prime Day, three months are available for $1 each. Unfortunately, this offer specifically stipulates that it is for new subscribers only.
Amazon Music: $1
Finally, Amazon is all but giving away its music streaming service. The site has struggled to keep up with Spotify, Apple and other music streaming services, as it costs the same even for Prime Members, and the library is considerably smaller. Still, Prime Day may give it the shot in the arm it needs.
Four months of Amazon Music are available for $1 each during the sale, for new subscribers only, naturally. If you don’t cancel after that time, you will automatically be billed the usual $7.99 per month.
