Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days is back. Here's everything you need to know

Last month, Amazon confirmed that its popular Prime Day sale will return in October, but this time with a fall twist. Prime Big Deal Days is the sister sale to the retail giant's main Prime Day event, which runs in July. Thanks to its conveniently-timed return, Prime Big Deal Days ushers in the beginning of the holiday shopping rush as one of the first major retailer sale events to strike midway through the fall season. 

Also: Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days set to return this October

Although Amazon has yet to confirm any specific dates for the sale, last year, Prime Big Deal Days took place on Oct. 10-11, and this year, July Prime Day moved later in the month than in previous years, running July 16-17. We wouldn't be surprised if the shopping extravaganza falls somewhere in between, though we'll keep you updated as soon as sale dates are announced. 

July's Prime Day event was Amazon's largest shopping event to date, with record sales and more items sold during the two-day event than during any other Prime Day, according to the company. Customers saved billions on household, tech, and more, and we expect similar savings opportunities this October. 

Also: Get Prime Day deals, even if you don't pay for Prime. Here's how

Last year, the site slashed prices on flagship Amazon products like Fire Sticks, Fire TVs, Echo devices, and more, as well as other top tech products from brands like Anker, Apple, Bose, Dyson, Sony, and more. 

My favorite early deals ahead of October Prime Big Deal Days 2024

You don't have to wait until October to grab savings. Here are some of my favorite deals you can shop now as we wait for more Prime Big Deal Days info to unfold. Be sure to check back here, as we'll keep you posted with everything you need to know to prepare to shop.

What is Amazon's October Prime Day?  

Per Amazon, Prime Big Deal Days (more commonly referred to as "October Prime Day") is a "holiday kickoff event" designed to offer Prime members exclusive access to early holiday deals across popular categories and top brands. Amazon's Prime Day sales occur twice yearly, once in July and once in October, with several smaller sale events, like Amazon's Big Spring Sale, popping up on the calendar throughout the year. 

When is October Prime Day 2024? 

Amazon has yet to announce the 2024 dates for October Prime Day. Last year, the October Prime Big Deal Days sale occurred on Oct. 10-11. 

When will October Prime Day deals end? 

October's Prime Big Deal Days is a two-day sale event that mimics the format of July Prime Day. Customers should expect deals to expire as early as 11:59 p.m. PT on the second day of the sale, though it's normal for some deals to hang around for hours or often days after. Though there's no way of knowing which discounts will stay or go when the clock hits midnight, we'll continually update ZDNET.com with the best deals that are still live even after the sale ends, so be sure to check back. 

Where will Prime Big Deal Days take place?

Prime Big Deal Days will occur in 19 countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Turkey, and the United States. This is a few countries less than the total number included in July Prime Day, which was 24 countries. 

What will likely be on sale for Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days 2024? 

During this year's July Prime Day event, we saw discounts on Amazon-owned products like Echo devices, Fire TVs and tablets, and more. We also saw some seriously good Apple deals, like the lowest-ever prices on the MacBook Air M2, MacBook Air M3, and the Watch Series 9. We also saw some lame deals, like on the Kindle lineup, which was offered at less than 20% off the regular price. 

We're expecting similar deals on flagship Amazon products to make a return, as well as more discounts on tech like previous models of tablets, smartwatches, phones, laptops, and TVs, especially as this is one of the first significant sale events before the holiday season after a long summer of new releases on multiple products, from the latest iPhone 16, Google Pixel 9, and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, and more. You can also expect plenty of deals across other categories, like home and apparel. 

Do I need to be an Amazon Prime member to shop October Prime Day? 

As the name implies, only Prime members in participating countries can shop the October Prime Big Deal Days event. If you don't have a membership, you'll need to enroll prior to the shopping event's kickoff to access exclusive deals and offers. 

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

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

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

How do I cancel my Prime membership? 

If you signed up for a Prime membership to take advantage of the exclusive October Prime Day sale but don't want to keep it, make sure to cancel. ZDNET has created a how-to guide to make the process easy. 

Also: How to cancel your Prime membership

Is October Prime Day a scam? 

Here's a secret. The only way to ensure you don't end up feeling "scammed" after a sale event is to research the product you are purchasing and price check across retailers to ensure you are getting a deal and not an inflated discount rate. Thankfully, ZDNET does the heavy lifting to make the shopping process easier. On the whole, we concluded that July Prime Day 2024 was not a scam event, and was packed with plenty of legitimate discounts, including over 50% off several Echo devices, Ring doorbells, and more, and 15-20% off Apple devices, which doesn't happen often. However, we saw weaker deals than during other times of the year on select products, such as on the Kindle lineup. We expect October Prime Day to feature many similar (if not the same) offers, particularly on flagship Amazon products. 

The key to successfully shopping a large sale event is to utilize resources like Google Shopping, price-tracking tools, and outlets like ZDNET, which dedicates a team of experts to selecting the best deals on products that are tested and reviewed every day. 

Also: Google expands its shopping tools. Here's how to use them

When is the best time of the year to save the most? 

Generally, some of the best deals of the year fall during the holiday shopping period, before the December and January holidays. Most notoriously, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the rest of Cyber Week are great times to grab savings on top tech, especially last year's (or prior) device models. This is because tons of new tech is released from the spring into late summer, making the fall and winter ideal times to slash prices. However, the holiday season isn't the only time to save. Thanks to the growth of online shopping, retailers can leverage savings whenever they want, and many turn to members-only discount events like Prime Day to do so. 

Prime Day, Prime Big Deal Days, and other exclusive events like those from Walmart event can be great opportunities to score exclusive products or offers, and for Amazon, that often includes on flagship tech products like Echo devices, Fire tablets, and more -- many of which aren't sold at other major retailers. So while the holiday season likely remains your best chance at scoring savings on the most amount of products, keep in mind that you can genuinely save whenever, as long as you know how to keep a watchful eye on products, compare prices, use helpful shopping tools and trust brands that do the grunt work for you (that's us). 

How do I pick the best deals during October Prime Day 2024?

Throughout the October 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 the "Lightning Deals" tag on any products you want to purchase. If you see it, you may want to check it out -- and fast. 

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, Costco, and other retailers will try to compete with Amazon's October 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 Big Deal Days event, including deals surfacing elsewhere. 

When will Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals be live? 

This year, Black Friday will be on November 29, 2024. That means Cyber Monday will fall on December 2, 2024, and the days in between Thanksgiving and and Cyber Monday are dubbed "Cyber Week." That's when you can expect to see some major holiday sales and discounts, and as always, ZDNET will deliver extensive coverage of the top deals across the shopping extravaganza at multiple retailers.