Whenever Amazon runs its big prime-members-only sales (Amazon Prime Day in July and Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days in October), you'll find some of the best prices of the year. The key word, though, is "finding." It can be hard to cut through the noise and the hype.
To help you make your shopping list, we asked our most skilled and seasoned Amazon bargain hunters to share the products they're adding to their carts, the prices that they say will make them jump on a deal, and their tested and proven Prime Day shopping tips.
You can also score savings by using Amazon digital coupons and Amazon promo codes; be sure to bookmark our Prime Day deals page, where we'll be adding our favorite deals in real time.
Text HACKS to 57299 to stay in the loop about all the hottest Amazon deals all year long. You can also download The Krazy Coupon Lady app to find more Amazon deals.
What Our Amazon Team Shopped During Prime Big Deal Days in October
These are the deals our experts shopped during Amazon's most recent Prime-only event, Prime Big Deal Days. We'll update with a new crop of deals when Prime Day comes back in July.
Amazon Prime Day can be a chaotic sale to shop, with Lightning Deals striking and prices falling around the clock. And, yes, it truly is a big deal — shoppers shelled out more than $14 billion on Prime Day last year, putting it on par with the likes of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Our Amazon team is tasked with finding the best Amazon deals every day. Here's what they're shopping during October Prime Day.
Amy's on the lookout for skincare (Cerave, Cosrx, and other top brands specifically). She's also thinking ahead, planning to start her gift stockpile before Black Friday for Christmas and other upcoming occasions.
"I have a few family member birthdays in October and November, so it will be a great chance to save on gifts," she says.
To prep, she's adding items she wants to purchase to her cart ahead of time.
"I also check price trackers like CamelCamelCamel and Keepa to make sure I’m getting one of the best prices tracked on Amazon," Amy says.
Amy’s Prime Day Picks:
Price she wants: "During Prime Day in July we saw a Shark Vacuum for 50% off! I hope to see that again."
The Viral Beckham Hotel Pillows
Price she wants: under $35 for the set. "We usually have a KCL exclusive code for these ones that stack with a coupon!"
Price she wants: "I'm hoping for $100 off."
Rachel is in preparation mode for Christmas and is shopping for her child, husband, and extended family.
"I’m looking for gifts and toys for Christmas," she says. "I’d jump on name-brand toy deals like Fisher-Price, Melissa & Doug, or VTech if they were over 50% off. I’m also looking out for matching holiday pajamas."
As for herself, Rachel is looking for deals on winter clothing (sweaters and shoes).
To get ready, she's adding items to her Amazon lists (which is one of our top Prime Day shopping tips) and watching that list for price drops.
Rachel’s Prime Day Picks:
Price she wants: less than $1 a day ($24.99 or less for the calendar)
Burt's Bees Matching Family Pj's
Price she wants: 40% off the various pieces
Price she wants: $159.99 (20% off)
Kathryn is shopping toys and video games for her kids, tech deals for her brother, hair care bundles for herself, and clothing for everyone if she finds a good deal.
"I love to shop for apparel," she says. "I always find deals I didn’t know I needed!"
Her mission is to find early holiday gifts for her family, and her top tactic is to add wanted items to her Amazon Wish List and watch those items for price drops.
The toys on her list? The Lego brick box, this Baby Montessori Sensory toy, and the Little Tikes Story Dream Machine,
Kathryn’s Prime Day Picks:
Price she wants: $20
Price she wants: $199.99
Price she wants: $29.99. "I bought one for myself at this price on the last Prime Day and I’m looking to buy another one for a Christmas gift."
Chanel is taking a practical approach to Prime Big Deal Days.
"I usually look to stock up on household products and essentials like vitamins for me or family members," she says.
Stocking up on practical items is a smart Prime Day move, as we see plenty of deals on household essentials and groceries during Amazon's biggest sales.
Chanel’s Prime Day Picks:
Price she wants: under $10
Price she wants: under $15
Sparkling Water Packs (LaCroix, Liquid Death, Bubly, etc.)
Price she wants: under $5
Katie's Prime Big Deal Days shopping list is dominated by beauty items. And her top tip for prepping for the sale is also one we highly recommend.
"I’ve been reviewing last year’s deals to know what to expect from the sale," she says.
To see an item's price history, we suggest using CamelCamelCamel or Keepa (which has a browser extension that comes up as you browse Amazon) to see how low the price has previously fallen. If an item has a history of getting discounted during Amazon's big sales (like Prime Day and Prime Big Deal Days), it's one to watch.
Katie’s Prime Day Picks:
Price she wants: $15 before any Subscribe & Save discounts
Red Flower Palo Santo Hair and Body Care
Price she wants: "Honestly any discount because it never goes on sale."
Price she wants: under $0.50 per pair
Natalie is shopping primarily for herself during Prime Big Deal Days, and her hit list includes tech and beauty.
"I always love shopping beauty products!" she says. "Any collective sale on cheap makeup or skincare is something I’m interested in."
Natalie's strategy (one she recommends to other shoppers too) is to make your list in advance, so you can spend as little time as possible browsing and researching during the sale.
"Prime Day goes fast," she says. "Make sure to know what you’re looking for, especially if it’s a popular brand like Apple, Shark, etcetera. Items sell out fast and you don’t want to miss out searching for what you want."
Natalie’s Prime Day Picks:
Price she wants: $79
Price she wants: $10
Price she wants: under $15
Cayla is on the hunt for electronics and appliances during Prime Big Deal Days.
"I’m looking for products that are at least 25% off their typical listing price or under $100," she says. "I don’t like buying these items full price."
Her shopping list includes both friends and family, and she's trying to get ahead of holiday shopping as well as upcoming birthdays.
As she did during Prime Day in July, she's going into Prime Big Deal Days with a flexible plan.
"I have a vague idea of what I want, but I love scrolling through the deals and diving in," she says. "I think you find a lot of great deals you weren't looking for that way."
Cayla’s Prime Day Picks:
Bissell Little Green Upholstery Cleaner
Price she wants: $99.99
Price she wants: $199
Price she wants: $64
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