Amazon Prime Day 2019

What Is Amazon Prime Day?

First debuting in 2015 as a way to celebrate Amazon's 20-year anniversary, Prime Day is "a holiday of savings" during which, as its name suggests, Amazon Prime customers get to experience mega discounts on popular products from all kinds of brands, including its own private labels and Alexa-enabled devices. It's sort of a summertime Black Friday, if you will — and this year is expected to be the best one yet. And if you think it’s just an American phenomenon, think again. This year, Prime members in 18 countries, from North America to Europe to Asia, got in on the Prime Day action.

When Is Amazon Prime Day?

Prime Day 2019 will officially begin at 12 a.m. PT on Monday, July 15 and conclude at 11:59 p.m. PT on Tuesday, July 16, according to an Amazon press release. That means that this year Prime Day will last a full 48 hours, making it the longest Prime Day in history.

How Long Does Amazon Prime Day Last?

This will be the first year that Prime Day will last 48 hours, or two full days. Last year’s epic summer shopping event lasted 36 hours, up from 30 hours the year before, so there’s definitely a trend of Prime Day getting longer. However, for those not logging onto their computer in the wee hours of the morning on July 15, the event might not feel noticeably longer.

Do You Have To Be A Prime Member To Get Amazon Prime Day Deals?

Yes, you do have to be a Prime member to snag all the amazing Amazon Prime Day deals, but for those not already part of the Prime community, there is a smart hack to get in on the savings. If you sign up for a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime prior to Prime Day, you’ll be able to shop all the Prime Day deals without shelling out for a full Prime membership — which costs $119 for an annual membership, and $12.99 per month for a monthly membership. However, thanks to the super convenient Free 2-Day shipping, and even Same-Day to 2-hour deliver in some areas, not to mention access to instant streaming services via Prime Video, and savings at Whole Foods, you can see why many Primers swear that, “Once you go Prime, you never go back.” Yet, if you’re not ready to commit to a membership just yet, remember to cancel your Prime membership before the 30-day trial is up. It’s a manual cancellation process, but fairly simple to do.

Click here to sign up for a 30-day free trail of Amazon Prime.

What Are The Best Things To Buy During Amazon’s Prime Day Sale?

If last year is any indication, everything from beauty and fashion essentials to home and tech products will be discounted during the Prime Day flash sale, covering a range of trusted big name brands and highly rated emerging ones. Whether you’re hoping to score new furniture, kitchen gadgets, grooming items, or all of the above, you’re very likely to be click-happy come Prime Day 2019. Plus, it’s all but guaranteed that Amazon devices (i.e. Echo Dots, Echo Shows, Fire TVs and Tablets, and Kindles), as well as Alexa-enabled devices (i.e. smart home accessories) will be discounted as part of the Prime Day celebrations. Last year, the best-sellers worldwide were the Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote and Echo Dot.

Is Amazon Prime Day *Better* Than Black Friday?

Amazon Prime Day is certainly giving Black Friday a run for its money. According to Bestblackfriday.com, 76 percent of Prime Day prices in 2017 were better than Black Friday ones, and the deal site told Fortune they expected 70 percent of Prime Day 2018 prices to be better than Black Friday 2018. With that in mind, it might pay to shop for both year-round staples and holiday gifts this Prime Day.

Will Whole Foods Have Deals For Amazon Prime Day?

Last year, Whole Foods joined the Amazon Prime Day celebrations, offering exclusive Prime Day discounts at all U.S. locations. If Amazon follows the same 2018 model, you can expect to see something like this: First, if you spend $10 at Whole Foods within the specific dates (last year it was July 11 through July 17), you’ll receive a $10 credit to your Amazon account to be spent on Prime Day. Second, if you use Whole Foods’ grocery delivery service, you’ll receive a $10 discount on your order, plus an additional $10 credit to use on your next order. Third, if you have an Amazon Prime Rewards Visa card, you get doubled cash-back rewards on purchases of $400 or more. Last but not least, if you shop in-store during the key Prime dates, look for special savings for Prime members on everything from protein bars to vitamins.

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