Amazon Prime Day 2024 is still underway: Here's everything to know, plus some top deals

Amazon's Prime Day sale is officially back. It kicked off early yesterday morning and will run through Wednesday, July 17, though we'll be surprised if there's no lingering deals following the end of the event.  

Prime Day is Amazon's biggest sale event of the year, when you can save big across 35 product categories, from tech to home goods to clothes. Prime members can shop for new deals as often as every five minutes during select periods of the event and partake in exclusive invite-only deals. Plus, market competition with Prime Day has turned the month of July into a true shopping extravaganza that mimics holiday like sales in the heat of the summer, making it a great time to be a consumer (and a wallet). 

Also: The best Prime Day deals right now

During this second day of Prime Day, we've seen continued discounts on Amazon-owned products like Ring doorbells, Kindles, Echo devices, Fire TVs, and more, and some seriously good Apple deals, like the lowest-ever-prices on the MacBook Air M2, MacBook Air M3, and the Watch Series 9. 

In 2023, Prime members bought more than 375 million items and saved over $2.5 billion across the shopping site, the largest year on record for Amazon, according to the company. Since last July's Prime Day sale, the company has held a Prime Big Deal Days sale in October and, in March, promoted a Big Spring Sale for the first time. Read on for everything you need to know about this year's Prime Day sale, including some of the top deals you can snag right now. 

Also: The best anti-Prime Day deals you can shop at Best Buy, Walmart, and beyond 

The best Prime Day deals

Perhaps one of the best things about Amazon is you'll find top deals on Amazon-exclusive products, tech, home, and everything in between. Here's a look at some top deals we've found (including on everyday items) while scouring Amazon's Prime Day page for the best savings. 

What Prime Day deals can I expect? 

Prime Day is always packed with deals across every category, especially flagship Amazon products like Echo devices, Fire TVs, Kindles, and more. Amazon says shoppers can anticipate deals across 35 categories, including home, tech, and more. During October Prime Day 2023, ZDNET readers scooped up savings on Fire Sticks, AirPods, chargers, and security cameras the most, but these Prime Day sales typically include many products. 

Also: The 10 most popular October Prime Day deals among ZDNET readers

Amazon shared in its release that Prime members can expect to jump on back-to-school savings and college essentials, find deep discounts across the site, and find deals on "new and popular" brands only available on Amazon for the upcoming event.

Since the event kicked off, we're seeing similar prices as offered during the days leading up to the sale on Amazon products like Fire Sticks, Echo devices, Fire TVs, Kindles, and more. Some Apple products, like the Watch SE and Series 9 have dropped below pre-Prime Day offerings, and many lifestyle and home products, like Dyson vacuums, dropped in price overnight, too. 

How much cheaper are things on Prime Day?

Prime Day not only slashes prices on many top products on Amazon (across 35 categories, to be exact), but it also sparks generous competition among other major retailers such as Walmart, Target, Costco, Best Buy, and more. This means that you have a good chance of scoring a product you've been eyeing for a discount of 30%, 40%, 50%, and even more at Amazon, or nabbing the very same or even better discount elsewhere. 

Plus, Prime Day is typically worth it for Amazon-exclusive products like Fire TVs, Fire tablets, Echo devices, Ring doorbells and cameras, Fire Sticks, and more (really, we're already seeing discounts of over 50% on these items). While sale periods can sometimes be tricky to know if you're getting the best deal, Prime Day generally does bring legitimate discounts, especially on tech. Remember, we're already seeing new smartphones, TVs, tablets, and more releases, which means more savings are incoming for older products. 

Everything to know about Prime Day (so far)

We've been keeping up with all the best Prime Day news since Amazon's confirmation of their 10th annual Prime Day back in April, and we'll continue to cover all the best deals you can shop during and after the popular event. Be sure to keep up with our Advice team on ZDNET.com throughout the sale. We'll be updating the site with all the details you need to shop savvy -- including the best deals on products we've personally tested and would recommend. 

When is Amazon Prime Day 2024?

Amazon's biggest sales event of the year, Prime Day 2024 starts today, with major discounts across various product categories, including phones, laptops, TVs, audio, and more. While the best deals are available for Prime members only, sellers often mark down products for non-Prime members to take advantage of. The event officially takes place on July 16 and July 17. Plus, Amazon always has shoppable deals available you can explore. 

What is Amazon Prime Day? 

Prime Day is Amazon's most popular flagship seasonal savings event, typically in mid-July each year. Although Amazon has since branched out to add an October Prime event and other sales, this July Prime Day remains the holy grail of Amazon sales. 

Prime Day grants Amazon Prime members exclusive access to deals on Amazon.com across all categories, including home, tech, apparel, and more. 

Who can shop Amazon Prime Day 2024? 

Amazon's Prime Day is an exclusive sale for Amazon Prime members. If you're not a member, you can always sign up for a 30-day free trial. (If you're a student, you may be eligible for a discounted Prime Student membership, which includes a 6-month free trial.)

Do I need a Prime membership to shop on Prime Day? 

Technically, yes. Prime Day is an exclusive Prime members-only event. You must purchase a membership or start a free trial to participate. You can always sign up for a 30-day free trial for those who aren't members. 

Can I sign up for Amazon Prime, shop, and then cancel?

Look at you, two steps ahead. Yes, there are loopholes to enjoying the Amazon sale if you aren't already a Prime member or don't want to become one permanently. A popular tactic is to sign up for a free 30-day trial, shop your favorite steals, and cancel before the 30 days are up to avoid getting charged. 

Also: Get access to Prime Day deals even if you aren't a member

Where will Prime Day take place? 

Amazon announced that Prime Day 2024 will take place in 24 countries. 

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the US, and the UK are the participating countries.

How much is an Amazon Prime membership? 

Amazon Prime costs $14.99 per month, or you can purchase an annual membership for $139, saving you a few dollars. 

Also: These 5 new Amazon features make finding the products you need even easier

All college students and those aged 18-24 are eligible for a discount and can pay $7.49 per month or $69 per year. In addition, those with qualified government assistance (which may include select seniors) can receive a Prime membership for just $6.99 after their free trial.

How do I join Amazon Prime? 

Join Amazon Prime or start your free trial here: https://www.amazon.com/amazonprime

How often does Amazon hold Prime Day? 

Amazon is known for its annual Prime Day event in mid-July. Prime Day began in July 2015, on the company's 20th birthday. However, the retail giant has recently expanded its sale periods to become more frequent. For the past two years, Amazon added a sale called Prime Big Deal Days in October, colloquially dubbed "October Prime Day." We expect the same for this year. 

From March 20-25, 2024, Amazon launched its first-ever Big Spring Sale, a sale event expected to appear again next year. 

Is there an October Prime Day?

In 2020, Amazon ran its Prime Day sale event in October due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Then, in October 2022, the retail giant offered a "Prime Day Early Access" sale event, and most recently, in October 2022, Amazon ran an "October Prime Day" for the first time. Since we also saw an October Prime Day in 2023, we anticipate another Prime-related sale event will pop up in October 2024.

How do I score the best deals during Prime Day 2024?

Throughout the sale, we'll be extensively updating ZDNET.com live with all the best deals on products we've tested and would recommend. We'll also curate, share, and update hand-picked lists of top deals in several product categories, including laptops, security cameras, tablets, Amazon devices, and more. 

Amazon also offers "Lightning Deals" during its sale events, which are time- and inventory-sensitive. Look for this tag on any products you want to purchase -- if you see it, you may want to check it out -- and fast. Throughout select periods during Prime Day, new deals will continue to drop as often as every 5 minutes. Plus, invite-only deals are back. Prime members can also request an invitation to access invite-only deals -- exclusive Prime Day deals Amazon is anticipating to sell out. 

Are there Prime Day deals available already? 

Yes, Prime Day has officially kicked off, and you can shop the site. We'll be extensively covering the best deals throughout the sale, including operating a live blog all day on the hottest Prime Day grabs. 

Also: The best Prime Day deals: Live updates

Are there any deals to avoid during Prime Day 2024?

Prime Day brings discounts across nearly 35 categories (some of the best being in tech). There are not necessarily specific items to avoid, but remember to keep your eyes out for discounts and listing prices. Sometimes, during big savings events, it's hard to tell what's really a "discount." If you're checking in with all of ZDNET's Prime Day content, don't worry -- we'll be expert-vetting deals to ensure they're worth your money. If you're shopping on your own, make sure to do some research on historical pricing using tools like Google Shopping and more.

Also: Google expands its shopping tools just in time for Amazon Prime Day. Here's how to use them

Will there be similar sales at other retailers?

Yes, as we've seen in the past, other major retailers will undoubtedly offer competing sales, deals, and discounts. Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and other retailers try to compete with Amazon's Prime Day offerings, often price-cutting the same items during the same periods or extending their own sales. We'll cover all the best deals on top tech during Amazon's Prime Day event, including deals surfacing elsewhere. 

Are Prime Day deals different for Day 2?

The answer here is hard to say. It's a yes, but also a no. Invite-only Prime deals -- or Lightning deals -- may be different each day. Amazon confirmed last month that new deals may surface as often as every five minutes on the site. But, as always, deals only last as long as Amazon decides, with lighting deals offering a countdown to their expiration, and other deals' longevity depending on how fast products sell out (or don't). It's likely that as long as stock remains, many of the deals from Day 1 will remain live for Day 2, including deals on popular Amazon products such as Fire TVs, Kindles, Fire tablets, Echo devices, and more.