Amazon October Prime Day 2024: Everything to know about the big event, including deals to shop already

We're heading straight for the holiday season, and although it may seem a bit too early to talk about turkeys and gifts, it will all be here before we know it. And you know the way we know that to be true? Whispers about the Amazon October Prime Day event. The Amazon Prime Big Deal Days event is expected to hit in the coming weeks as an unofficial kick-off to holiday shopping. There will be huge markdowns across all categories. Some prices will rival the best of year, just mere weeks before Black Friday, when the typical shopping season begins.

If you have a sharp eye for savings, you'll enjoy scooping up some of the thousands of deals ahead of the holiday season. It can be tough to determine when a good deal is actually great when prices fluctuate so frequently throughout the year. That's where we can help. We keep our eyes close to pricing all year long to help show you what's really worth your time and what's OK to skip.

Last year, the big Amazon fall event was on Oct. 10 and Oct. 11, so we imagine we'll see some savings around that time this year with the typically two-day event sharing dramatic discounts for Amazon Prime members. If history repeats itself, we'll find bestselling items, reader favorites, and some of our top-reviewed products on sale. We expect Amazon to release the official dates anytime now, but in the meantime, you can find savings on early deals to shop for already. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is Prime Day?

Chances are you are already familiar with Amazon's annual sales event. What started as a July sale, Amazon has added a similar October event in recent years to kick off the holiday shopping season. Both the July and October Prime Days are typically two-day online shopping extravaganzas when virtually every product category has discounts, including the biggest names in tech, fashion, beauty, home, kitchen and everything in between. There are usually dropping prices and limited-time promotions that are too good to pass up. Lightning Deals, in particular, can significantly reduce prices for a brief time, adding just a bit of urgency to your shopping experience.

When is Prime Day this year?

Official dates for the October Prime Big Deal Days 2024 haven't been released yet, but the big event is usually held in early October, with plenty of lead-up deals and wind-down sales, making the typically two-day event stretch even longer. As a point of reference, October Prime Day 2024 was October 10 and October 11. But be warned; Amazon will not be the only retailer sharing sales during this time. There will be countless sales to shop for many days surrounding the event.

What other stores have Prime Day-style deals?

Being so close to the holiday season, many digital stores offer some promotions to compete, and it's worth doing a little price comparison before checking out. We've seen some better prices off Amazon during Prime Day with competitors matching or beating prices.

What are the best ways to save during Prime Day?

We've got all the tips and tricks you need to help you shop Amazon Prime Days like a pro. The first thing you'll want to do to make sure you can take full advantage of October Prime Day 2024 is to sign up for a Prime membership. This will give you full access to all the deals, plus free shipping. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here.

• Create a Wish List - Just like we suggested during the summer savings event, the most efficient way to navigate Prime Big Deal Days is to consider creating a wish list ahead of time. This makes it easier to track prices and not miss when the deal goes live.

• Utilizing Lightning Deals - Lightning Deals are a hallmark of Prime Days, offering time-sensitive opportunities to snag products at unbeatable prices. Keep an eye on these fleeting deals because they run out when the clock does or the item sells out, whichever comes first.

• Shop early deals - Some products will drop in price ahead of the official sale dates as part of the lead-up sales event to get a competitive edge, so if the price of an item is the best you've seen, you'll want to scoop it up ASAP.

• Price match at other retailers - Because many retailers are competing for your business and getting ready for the holiday season kickoff, it's likely we'll see some competing sales on similar products.

More early Prime Big Deal Days deals

If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $25 or more.)

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.