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Prime Day 101: Things every shopper needs to know

Monday, July 3, 2017

Prime Day 101: What shoppers need to know

Here's everything you should know before you buy on Prime Day.

It's one of the biggest shopping days of the year. Prime Day has been with us since 2015, and thrifty deal seekers acknowledge Amazon's grand sale offers great opportunities to score some hot sale items.

But before you buy, here's seven things you should know:

The deals really are better than Black Friday

While the offerings can be a mixed bag, the price is right. According to BestBlackFriday.com, 77 percent of Prime Day prices in 2016 were better than Black Friday prices. Nearly 13 percent ended in a tie. This is compared to Prime Day 2015, when 64 percent of the prices beat our Black Friday deals.

An Amazon Prime account is required

You have two choices for subscribing to Prime: pay $99 a year or $10.99 a month. But, it's more than just access to this once-a-year buying frenzy. Prime gives you access to free two-day shipping, the Prime Video library, and much more.

If you do not have an account, you can get a 30-day free trial to get acquainted with the service.

Check out Patricia Lopez's report on Amazon Prime perks you aren't using, but should:

Patricia Lopez has some perks Amazon Prime members might not know about.

Best time to shop on Prime Day

While deals begin at 9 p.m. EST on July 10, expect to stay up late on July 10 or get up early on July 11. The 30-hour sale's best deals probably won't show up until Monday night and Tuesday morning or afternoon, rather than overnight hours, according to BestBlackFriday.com.

Don't blink: Deals will be flying at you

Every five minutes for 30 hours, a new deal will be posted over the course of the Prime Day sale.

Patricia Lopez has the latest tips on Amazon Prime Day.

You'll only have short notice on deals

If Amazon continues its practice from the previous two Prime Day sales, expect advertisements on some of their deals in the day and hours before July 10 and 11.

Hot tip: Shop the app, checkout on the computer

While the free Amazon app is the best tool to ensure you see the deals you want, even getting deal alert notifications, checking out on the computer is faster, and allows you to comparison shop.

Amazon won't be the only one with sales

Competitors are also expected to offer steep savings during Amazon Prime Day, so don't forget to check Walmart, eBay, Target and Best Buy for big deals. This is a great time to comparison shop on top products.

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