Our predictions for Prime Day 2023
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Some shoppers may already be looking forward to one of the biggest shopping events of the year: Amazon Prime Day. The retailer has yet to announce the dates of its annual mega sale, which is exclusive to Prime members. However, it’s historically held in July, so as we near the warmer months, some have the shopping event on their minds.
SKIP AHEAD Bestselling products from Amazon Prime Day 2022
To help you prepare ahead of time and learn about what to expect, we answered some frequently asked questions about Prime Day below. We’ll continue updating you as Amazon releases new information over the next few weeks.
When is Amazon Prime Day 2023?
Amazon has not yet announced when it is hosting Prime Day 2023. The sale is historically held in July, but it took place in October 2020 (the latest it’s ever been) and June 2021 (the earliest Prime Day ever) due to the pandemic. In 2022, Amazon Prime Day returned to its usual July timeframe.
Amazon traditionally announces the exact date of Prime Day a few weeks before the event, so we’ll keep you updated as we know more.
Will there be two Prime Days this year?
Amazon Prime Day usually happens once-a-year. But in 2022, the retailer hosted its first ever Prime Early Access Sale in October after hosting Prime Day in July. It was a Prime Day-level sale the retailer announced that fall.
Amazon has not revealed whether there will be more than one Prime Day in 2023. Since we likely won’t know if there will be two Prime Day-like sales events until later this year, we recommend taking advantage of the guaranteed event this summer.
Do I need a Prime membership to shop Amazon Prime Day?
Yes, you need a Prime membership to shop during Amazon Prime Day — the sale is exclusive to members. If you’re interested in joining Amazon Prime prior to the event, you can register online for a standard membership or discounted options available for students and those receiving certain types of government assistance. New members get a 30-day free trial.
What are the best deals to shop on Amazon Prime Day?
Amazon sellers slash prices on products across categories on Prime Day, so you’ll find deals on a little bit of everything. However, some of the deepest discounts on Prime Day are on Amazon’s own brands and products, including Fire TVs, Kindles and Echo Dots.
Lightning Deals are also great opportunities to save. These limited-time offers give shoppers a short window to purchase and check out. While you can’t really prepare for Lightning Deals, be aware that you’ll see them popping up during the event. You may want to browse through them in case there’s an item you’re interested in.
Bestselling products from Amazon Prime Day 2022
To give you an idea of what types of products you’ll see on sale during Prime Day 2023, we rounded up some Select reader favorites from last year’s sale event below.
Amazon Smart Plug
The Amazon Smart Plug adds Alexa voice control to any outlet. Once you pair it with the companion app and connect it to Wi-Fi, you can schedule lights, appliances and more to turn on and off automatically, or control them remotely when you’re not home. The smart plug’s compact design keeps the second outlet free and allows you to stack two smart plugs on top of one another, according to the brand.
Amazon Smart Plug
Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 5300 Rechargeable Electric Power Toothbrush
This electric toothbrush offers three cleaning modes – clean, whiten and gum care — and it's designed with a pressure sensor that alerts you when you’re brushing too hard. The toothbrush has a brush head replacement indicator, two-minute timer and battery light indicator so you know when it’s time for a recharge. The rechargeable battery lasts for about two weeks, according to the brand. The toothbrush also comes with a travel case.
Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 5300 Rechargeable Electric Power Toothbrush
Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 5300 Rechargeable Electric Power Toothbrush $ at Amazon
Aura Carver HD Smart Digital Picture Frame
Aura’s Wi-Fi enabled digital frame allows you to display your favorite memories and add to the content library over time. You can upload photos and videos from your phone through the companion app, and invite loved ones to contribute content, too. The frame has a 10.1-inch screen and is available in colors like Gravel and Sea Salt.
Aura Carver WiFi Digital Picture Frame
Aura Carver WiFi Digital Picture Frame $ at Amazon
Aura Carver WiFi Digital Picture Frame $ at Target
Aura Carver WiFi Digital Picture Frame $ at Aura
Orolay Women’s Thickened Down Jacket
In addition to being a Select reader-favorite product during Prime Day 2022, Orolay’s jacket is my go-to winter coat, and it makes a great gift. The jacket has a polyester shell and is filled with 90% duck down and 10% duck feathers. It’s designed with six large pockets and a fleece-lined hood, as well as side zippers that allow you to extend the hem by 2 inches. You can purchase the jacket in colors like Gray, Black, Green, Yellow and more.
Orolay Women's Thickened Down Jacket
Orolay Women's Thickened Down Jacket $ at Amazon
Orolay Women's Thickened Down Jacket $ at Walmart
Orolay Women's Thickened Down Jacket $ at Orolay
Kindle Paperwhite Leather Cover (11th Generation)
Select shoppers bought this leather Kindle cover to protect their e-readers. The cover opens and closes like a book to both wake the device up and put it to sleep, according to the brand. It has a microfiber interior and you can fold back the cover for one-handed reading. The Kindle Paperwhite cover is available in Black, Agave Green, Denim, Lavender Haze and Merlot.
Kindle Paperwhite Leather Cover (11th Generation)
Kindle Paperwhite Leather Cover (11th Generation) $ at Amazon
How to save during Amazon Prime Day 2023
The key to saving during Prime Day is planning, which can help keep you focused on what you’re looking for and ensure you’re taking advantage of the best deals possible. Below are a few ways to ensure you’re successful during the sale event.
Utilize exclusive promotions and coupons before and during the sale
During Prime Day, Amazon often offers members a handful of exclusive promotions and coupons. For example, you may see discounts on Amazon Music Unlimited, Audible Premium and more. You’ll usually see these promotions on Amazon’s Prime Day homepage in the app or online.
Sign up to receive notifications about sales and deals
If you don’t have time to scroll through Amazon’s website or app during Prime Day, you can sign up to get notifications about deals on products you’re specifically interested in. You can bookmark a product you’ve had your eye on and Amazon will alert you if the price drops, which is especially helpful if the deal is only offered for a limited time. You can also opt to get deal notifications based on your Amazon searches and recently viewed items. To create deal alerts, visit the Amazon Prime Day page online or in the Amazon app once it is live.
Amazon Alexa can also notify you up to 24 hours in advance of a deal becoming available for an item on your wishlist, in your shopping cart or "saved for later." You can also ask Alexa to remind you when the deal goes live and give Alexa permission to order the item on your behalf using your account’s default payment and delivery address. According to Amazon, this feature is particularly useful during Prime Day when there are constantly new deals.
Additionally, if you download the Amazon app and add items you’re interested in buying to your wishlist, you can turn on notifications for your “watched and waitlisted deals.” This alerts you when lightning deals happen for products on your wishlist during Prime Day and otherwise.
Make a shopping list
Beyond keeping you organized, a shopping list helps you focus on products you need to buy or have budgeted for and reduces the temptation to spend on non-essential purchases. After the first day of the sale, you can look at your original shopping list, cross off what you bought and make a new list of what you’re still looking for on day two.
You can bookmark links to products or write a shopping list, though it may be easier to add items to different wishlists through your Amazon account. For example, you can make wishlists for different people you need to purchase gifts for or create them for specific product categories like tech or home. While you’re shopping, you can go through your wishlists, see what’s on sale and decide if you want to make a purchase.
Consider shopping with a credit card
If you’re interested in using a credit card to shop during Prime Day, you may be able to earn points or take advantage of exclusive rewards. Certain cards allow you to earn cash back on Amazon purchases during Prime Day and Prime Day-esque sales, and some also offer welcome bonuses or points. The best credit cards for Amazon Prime Day shopping include the Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card and Amazon Prime Store Card, according to CNBC Select — the cards offer 5% cash back at Amazon.
Compare prices across retailers’ sites
Other retailers like Target, Walmart, Best Buy, Macy’s and more typically follow Amazon’s lead and offer their own savings events around Prime Day. Because of this, it’s worth comparing prices across sites to make sure you’re getting the best deals possible. Tools like Amazon Assistant, Keepa, CamelCamelCamel and Honey monitor and let you compare prices. Some retailers also price-match around Prime Day, meaning a retailer will drop its price to that of a competitor’s.
Why trust Select?
Zoe Malin is an associate updates editor at Select who has reported about Amazon since 2020. She wrote Select's history of Amazon Prime Day, as well as a variety of Amazon Prime Day sales articles. For this piece, Malin researched Amazon's Prime Day and referenced Select's other Amazon coverage.
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