Amazon Prime Day 2024: Everything You Need To Know

One of the biggest sales of the year is Amazon Prime Day, which, despite its name, is actually two days of deep discounts on products across the board. That includes one of our favorite things in the world: electronics. From computers and eReaders to smart home devices and small appliances, a host of gadgets will grace the sale page, so be sure to assemble your wishlist so you’ll be notified of any price drops. 

Here are your most pressing questions about the upcoming 2024 Prime Day; we’ll update this story as more information becomes available.

What Is Amazon Prime Day?

Prime Day is a savings bonanza available to members of Amazon's Prime service. Think of it as Black Friday in July. It started in 2015 as a celebration of Amazon's 20th anniversary, billed as a "one-day only event filled with more deals than Black Friday, exclusively for Prime members around the globe." That first Prime Day wasn't exactly a huge success. The company's stock of sale items quickly sold out and wait lists filled up immediately, leaving people with few options. The following year, Amazon seemed to get its act together a little more, and fellow retailers like Walmart stepped in with rival sales.

When Is Amazon Prime Day 2024? 

Prime Day will be happening again this summer on July 16th and 17th. The big sale starts on July 16 at 12:01 a.m. PDT and runs through July 17. 

When Does Amazon Prime Day 2024 Start?

The sales kick off right after midnight on Tuesday, July 16th, but you’ll start to see some early deals leak the day (or even week) before, making it kind of feel like a week-long sale! 

When Does Amazon Prime Day 2024 End?

Given that the Amazon Prime Day event wraps just 48 hours after it begins, it will feel like the sale is over before you know it. The official end time is July 17. But some deals have been known to be extended deeper into the week. But things do sell out, so don’t let a deal slip away. If you see something you want, you should grab it while you can.

How Often Is Prime Day Each Year?

For years, Prime Day was a once-a-year chance for Amazon to drum up Prime subscriptions, as well as sales, during the usually slow summer months. In 2022, Amazon decided to go all out with two events: Prime Day in July and an Early Access Sale in October; it did the same in 2023 with Prime Day and the awkwardly named Prime Big Deal Days in October. It stands to reason that’ll be the case again this year, as Amazon looks to take advantage of those wanting a jumpstart on holiday shopping. 

Is Prime Day Only for Prime Members?

This being Prime Day, you'll need to be a Prime member to get the best bargains. If you're not, it's free to join for 30 days, after which it's $139 per year (or $14.99 per month). Once you're signed up for Prime and logged into your account, the Amazon website and apps will display Prime Day prices, and you can add to your cart and check out like you normally would. (You can always sign up for a monthly account and cancel later, if that's your thing). And once you've got your Prime Membership locked in, explore all of its benefits and learn some tips and tricks for how to take advantage of deals, shipping, and more.

Can I Get Amazon Prime for Free?

Beyond that 30-day free trial, Amazon will demand some of your cash for the privilege of joining the Prime crew. There are ways to pay less than $139 for Prime, though, including student accounts and discounts for EBT, SNAP and Medicaid recipients.

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Wait, Did I Hear That Grubhub+ Is Now Included With Prime?

You heard right! Food delivery service is the latest Prime member perk. "Grubhub+ includes $0 delivery fees on eligible orders over $12, lower service fees, 5% credit back on pick-up orders, and other exclusive offers." Customers can also place Grubhub orders directly on Amazon now! Yet another reason to sign up for Prime.

What's On Sale During Prime Day?

Discounts on Amazon's own products are a sure thing. Look for deals on Kindles, Echo smart speakers, Fire TV devices and smart TVs, eero routers, Ring and Blink security cameras, and more. Amazon will likely have some pre-sales in the lead-up to Prime Day, in addition to discounts on the actual sale days, so stay alert this summer if you're looking to upgrade your smart home devices with the latest and greatest from Alexa.

How Do I Find the Best Deals on Prime Day?

Great question! Since electronics is kind of our thing here at PCMag, so leave that to us. You're going to see deals similar to those coming later in the year leading into Black Friday and Cyber Monday and we'll always let you know when it's the lowest price we've seen. We also suggest checking out some expert advice on Amazon Prime Day Shopping Tips for Bargain Hunters.

Our experts are working overtime to find the best deals. Check out our Amazon Prime Day 2024 hub, which has all the latest info on the biggest sale of the summer, along with can't-miss deals on all the technology you want.

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