Expert consulted: 
Amazon Prime Day begins July 8 this year, meaning the best Prime Day deals have nearly arrived on luggage, cleaning and kitchen appliances, Apple products and more. Prime Day is undoubtedly a great time to stock up on items at a discount, but we know it's all too easy to get swept up in the shopping frenzy and spend hastily on stuff you don’t need. Or, even worse, end up with a counterfeit product or not that good of a deal after all.
Fortunately for impulse shoppers, there are some surefire ways to avoid making bad purchases on Amazon Prime Day. Our deals editors have covered our fair share of Prime Days and Black Fridays over the years. Below are tips on how to avoid scams and shop smarter to score the best deals. After all, it's all about shopping smarter not harder.
Make the most out of Prime Day by following Good Housekeeping's Prime Day deals post throughout the event, where we'll be updating our list of researched, noteworthy deals in real-time.
1. You're shopping without a list
With the onslaught of Prime Day deals, it's easy to get distracted by impulse buys that you a.) won't use or b.) overspend on. Focus on essentials you’ve been eyeing, like home, pet, and baby products. "Utilize Amazon’s wishlist feature ahead of time so you have an at-a-glance look at the items you’re most interested in," says Jessica Teich, the director of editorial commerce and product reviews at Good Housekeeping.
And if your cart is prepped and ready before the sale begins, it'll make it easier (and faster) to shop items you've been waiting to buy. Simply refresh the page to snag right away. We frequently see hot-ticket items like Apple AirPods be the first to go. So, log on early, have your cart at the ready and be ready to click!
One friendly tip: Prime members can download the Amazon Shopping app and set up personalized deals alerts to get notified when items you have searched for recently go on sale.
2. You're falling for misleading sales and marked-up prices
Beware of sales on items that have previously been marked up in price or else you may not be getting as excellent of a bargain as you might think. Thankfully, there are a few foolproof ways you can spot unscrupulous sales. Apps like Camelcamelcamel show how an item’s price has fluctuated to ensure you’re truly getting the best deal. This price tool monitors millions of products to track price history and alert you when prices drop with its Chrome extension.
3. You're not clipping Amazon coupons
Every penny counts! Coupons sweeten a good Prime Day deal. Not every brand offers additional coupons, but the ones that do let you save a few extra bucks on top of the current sale. Just make sure the digital coupon (a small check box, which is sometimes found underneath the price) is clicked before checkout to correctly stack the discount. We’ve seen as much as $70 be deducted from the final total.
4. You're not price comparing
"While Prime Day is an Amazon-exclusive sale event, it’s created a ripple effect across the entire market. Competing retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, Wayfair all host sales during this time, so make sure your desired item isn’t on sale cheaper elsewhere before hitting ‘buy’ on Amazon," says Teich. "Some retailers, like Lowe’s and Target, will even match Amazon sale pricing — something to consider if you have loyalty points or a gift card elsewhere."
5. You're only focusing on early sales
When it comes to a four-day sale event, you might thinking getting all the best deals on the first or second day is the right move. But if you set a personal budget for the entire event, it might be beneficial to leave some spending room for the tail end of it. Teich says, "Since this is Amazon’s first-ever four-day event, there may be some impressive sales on big ticket items on day 3 or 4 to keep consumers incentivized and shopping throughout the duration of the event."
We won't know for sure until the sale kicks off, but pacing yourself while shopping could work in your favor. Just keep in mind that inventory may dip (or even sell out) between days 1 and 4, so prioritize your purchases accordingly.
Amanda (she/her) is a writer and editor covering deals, trends and sales. She has almost a decade of experience in digital journalism, including more than five years in e-commerce at brands like Bustle Digital Group and TODAY. Amanda has a bachelor’s degree in communications with a concentration in journalism from Ramapo College of New Jersey. When she’s not working, you can find her writing songs.
Jessica (she/her) is the director of editorial commerce and product reviews with over a decade of experience as a product tester, reviewer, writer and editor of beauty and lifestyle content. Previously she was the beauty editor at USA Today's Reviewed where she launched the Beauty vertical and tested hundreds of products and has covered trends for publications like The Boston Globe and The New York Times. You can usually find her sorting through piles of beauty products — and testing the best ones on camera.
