Keep in mind that these services may not work all the time. But being able to see how much a product costs right before the sale starts (and whether the MSRP happened to increase) can be helpful. Putting these tools together can help you deduce whether a deal is worth your money.
WIRED always fact-checks deals to determine their quality. Of course, I’m biased, but you can check out our ongoing deals coverage to find roundups of the best discounts available—during Prime Day and beyond.
What’s a Lightning Deal?
Lightning Deals are limited-time deals that Amazon runs for only a few hours. They’re not restricted to Prime Day, but they’re especially prevalent during major sales events. Once an item sells out, you may be able to join a wait list, but not always.
Put bluntly, the Lightning Deals selection is often full of impulse buys, like makeup, skin care products, or toys. Prime members can browse upcoming deals on Amazon’s website and in the mobile app. The app can also alert you before a Lightning Deal begins. We’ll share some of our favorite Lightning Deals in a live blog during the event this year.
How Do Invite-Only Deals Work?
The best deals sometimes sell out quickly. To get around this, Amazon launched an invite-only deals program during Prime Day. Prime members can request an invitation to purchase items that are expected to go out of stock. This feature is only available on select products, but it’s spread across a wide range of price points and categories—including kitchen, electronics, fashion, and beauty.
On the deal page, you’ll see a Request Invite button on the right-hand side. Click to get a chance to buy at the sale price, but there’s no guarantee you’ll be invited. According to an Amazon spokesperson, the company removes “bot-like submissions” from the list of requests and selects from the remaining customers. However, it’s not clear how Amazon chooses from the remaining list of interested buyers.
If you’re selected, you’ll receive both an email and a notification via the Amazon app once Prime Day begins. The offer is usually valid until Prime Day ends, so you’ll have a limited window of time to make your purchase.
Are There Other Ways to Make Sure a Deal Won’t Sell Out?
If you know what time a deal begins, make sure to pay attention to the product page around the starting time. You may also be able to add an item to your cart before the sale starts, so you can refresh the page and snag it right away. With the Amazon app (Android, iOS), you can set up personalized deal alerts to get notified when items you have searched for recently are on sale, but only if you’re a Prime member.
It’s smart to create an account at trusted retailers so you can save your credit card information and shipping details ahead of time. This will make the checkout process as fast as possible. It’s also a good idea to clear your web browser cache before you start shopping during sales events like Prime Day. Just be sure to log back in to those retailers afterward.
If a deal does sell out, there’s a high chance another store will be offering a similar or matching discount. Check other stores, especially big-box merchants like Walmart, Target, and Best Buy. Sometimes expired deals can come back in stock too.
Should I Buy It?
It’s easy to fall into a trap during events like Prime Day. You might see a great deal on a product you don’t really need. Don’t do it. Make a list of items you’ve actually been wanting to buy ahead of the event and save those links. When Prime Day begins, take a look around to see whether they’re on sale, and use the aforementioned practices to make sure it truly is a good deal. Don’t buy a product just because it has a nice price.
This isn’t your only chance to score a great deal this year. Amazon will have another big sale event in the fall, and there’s always Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which take place on Thanksgiving weekend. You might see even bigger price drops then.
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