Amazon Prime Day 2023: Everything you need to know

Amazon’s bacchanalia of consumer deals is coming in July. Here’s what you need to know to get ready.

Black Friday. President’s Day. Labor Day. All of these arbitrary holiday designations for retail sales weren’t enough for Amazon, so they had to invent an entirely new holiday: Prime Day. And, in fact it’s more than just a single day. The two-day event takes place on July 11th and 12th.

What is Amazon Prime Day?
Prime Day is Amazon’s special designated sales event—notwithstanding the fact the retail juggernaut puts items on sale every day of the year. But Amazon says Prime Day will have even more sales and better discounts, and in fact, we have found that the savvy shopper can find good Prime Day deals. Amazon will have discounts on literally tens of thousands of items all across its vast retail emporium, with price drops on everything from carpet cleaners to TVs to CPUs.

When is Amazon Prime Day 2023?
This year, Prime day falls on July 11th and 12th, and will extend to 24 countries:

Australia
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Canada
China
Egypt
France
Germany
Italy
Japan
Luxembourg
Mexico
Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
Spain
Sweden
Turkey
United Arab Emirates
United States
United Kingdom
India will get its own Prime Day sometime later this year.

What time does Prime Day 2023 start?
Prime Day deals will begin appearing at 3 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time in the US. It should begin at similar times in other counties, sometime in the wee hours of the morning.

Do I need to be a Prime member to get Prime Day deals?
Yes, you do need an Amazon Prime subscription to take advantage of designated Prime Day deals. Of course, you can still purchase the items without that subscription, but you won’t get the special deal pricing.

To a certain extent, Prime Day itself is a vehicle for Amazon to sell more subscriptions, which cost $14.99 per month or $139 per year. Among other benefits, in addition to deal pricing the plan gives you fast, free shipping; access to Prime Video streaming content; and special deals when you shop at Whole Foods. It’s a pricey subscription, but you can sign up for a free Amazon Prime trial to get the Prime Day deals.

Best Amazon Prime Day deals

As usual, Amazon will have discounts on literally tens of thousands of items all across its vast retail imperium, from carpet cleaners to CPUs. Some of the electronics brands Amazon is already highlighting include Anker and Waze, but some of the most dramatic discounts are usually saved for Amazon’s own crop of Fire tablets, Kindle e-readers, and Echo smarthome devices. Amazon’s press release says there will also be discounts on Amazon Prime Video movie and TV purchases, streaming Amazon Music deals, and celebrity and influencer picks.

While deals will be available site-wide as third-party sellers look to get in on the action, the deepest discounts will be reserved for Amazon Prime subscribers. (Naturally. I mean, it’s in the name). Prime members will be able to sign up for invite-only deals, personalized alerts via email, the Amazon shopping app, or Alexa-compatible devices.

Amazon Prime Day Early Access deals

Amazon is so eager for you to spend money on Prime Day that it’s pushing some of the deals forward for weeks and weeks. At Amazon.com/primeday, you can see some of the biggest discounts that will be available on Prime Day itself and sign up to receive alerts. Note that some of the deals, like this insane 43-inch Amazon Fire HDTV for just a hundred bucks, require you to click on “request invite” before the deal starts in order to get access to limited quantities.

When does Prime Day 2023 end?

Prime Day ends at the end of the day on July 12th, based on your local clock. Third-party sellers may have discounts up for a few hours or days after, but once Amazon’s primary listings stop showing discounts, the party’s over.