1. Amazon Prime Day FAQ
2. Editor's picks: best recent deals
Amazon's next sale is coming. Prime Day 2024 takes place 16-17th July – which means it's just three weeks away. Going on past years, we have a pretty good idea what to expect. This is the 10th anniversary of Prime Day, so this is not our first rodeo...
For the uninitiated, Prime Day is one of the biggest sales events of the year. It's basically a summer version of Black Friday, and because it happens at the opposite time of year, it feels like more of an event. Summer is traditionally a slower time for sales and deals generally, so Prime Day usually provides some much needed pep at this time of year.
In recent years, it's been joined by Spring Deal Days (which took place in March, and was previously known as Prime Early Access Sale), and Prime Big Deal Days in the autumn. But these are both smaller affairs.
Prime Day isn't limited to Amazon. Well ok, it is, but other retailers tend to lower their prices at the same time in order to stay competitive, which means more deals for us punters. Prime Day deals apply across the site on all kinds of devices, but obviously we're most interested in the AV side of things. Expect bargains on hi-fi, TVs, both wired and wireless headphones, Bluetooth speakers, multi-room systems, projectors and more.
While it's still too early to list any Prime Day deals, we have included the best bargains from the recent Prime Spring Deal Days sale to give you a flavour of what to expect.
Remember: we only recommend high-quality products, the vast majority of which we've tested ourselves. Where we haven't, we'll make that clear, and explain why we think it's still worth a shot. We also take into account the device's price history, to make sure we're only flagging genuine deals, not those that look great but actually have been bettered before (and likely will be again).
Let's get into it.
Amazon Prime Day FAQ
What is Amazon Prime?
In order to be eligible for Amazon Prime Days discounts, you need Amazon Prime. This is effectively a membership fee that gives you 'free' unlimited one-day delivery (in select areas) on millions of items bought from Amazon, plus Prime Video and Amazon Music streaming services (but not Amazon Music Unlimited – that costs extra), free ebooks, and the ability to share some of these benefits with others in your household.
Amazon Prime costs £8.99 a month, or £95 if you pay yearly (saving you £12.88 compared to paying monthly). Students pay £4.49 a month or £47.49 a year. Changed your mind? You can cancel your Prime membership on the Manage Prime Membership page. And if you haven't placed a Prime-eligible order or used any of your Prime benefits, you'll be refunded in full.
There's an Amazon Prime free trial, too. Sign up, select 'Start my free trial', and you'll have access to Prime for 30 days with nothing to pay. That means you can sign up, take advantage of the deals, and then cancel your trial before the 30-day period ends and not be charged your second month's fee for Prime. Not that we would condone such behaviour, of course.
In order to be eligible for the trial, you can't have subscribed to Prime in the last 12 months.
What is Amazon Prime Day?
It's Amazon's summer sale.
Prime Day began in 2015 as a celebration of Amazon's 20th anniversary. While other online retailers get involved in the Black Friday bargain bun fight, Prime Day is generally all about Amazon, though you will see other retailers lowering prices at the same time in order to stay competitive.
Prime Day is a big sale that encompasses most areas of the Amazon site – as well as audio-visual gear, you'll find discounts on toasters, books, clothes, and pretty much anything that Amazon sells. And that's a lot!
Prime Day 2023 officially took place over two days, but the deals went on for weeks.
You'll need to be a Prime member to take advantage of the offers. Not yet a member? Amazon Prime's free trial gives you the option to sign up, bag a few bargains on Prime Day, and cancel your membership without paying a penny. You scallywag, you.
When does Amazon Prime Day 2024 start?
Prime Day 2024 takes place 16-17th July 2024. Just like last year, it's a two-day affair (last year's event happened on 11-12th July).
When does Amazon Prime Day 2024 end?
Prime Day 2024 will finish at 23.59 on 17th July.
Amazon Prime Day 2024 secret hacks and tips
1. Sign up for the free Prime trial
If you're new to Amazon Prime, make sure you take advantage of the 30-day free Prime trial. And remember to cancel if you don't want a monthly bill for £8.99 when the trial ends.
2. Google a product before buying
Not every deal is going to be a winner, so make sure you compare prices online before you buy, and, of course, check our reviews to make sure the product is worth buying at all!
3. Big brands can equal big savings
Amazon often slashes the cost of a few big brand items – think PlayStation and Xbox accessories, Samsung TVs and tablets, etc – to get the attention of shoppers. Keep an eye out for these 'marquee' deals.
4. Check the Amazon Warehouse
Returned goods end up on sale at the Amazon Warehouse at a decent discount, so there's a chance you could spot an open-box bargain that beats the box-fresh sales price.
5. Stay tuned to What Hi-Fi.com
Amazon unleashes thousands of deals around Prime Day, which can make it tricky to find genuine bargains on five-star tech and AV. That's why we'll be publishing an up-to-the minute list of the very best Prime Day 2024 deals.
Is Amazon Prime Day only once a year?
It is. It's one of Amazon's many sales days throughout the year. It's preceded by Prime Spring Deal Days in the spring, and followed by Prime Big Deal Days (which was previously called Prime Early Access Sale) in the autumn, and then Black Friday at the end of November.
What discounts are offered on Amazon Prime Day?
There are plenty of deals on all kinds of devices, including headphones, TVs, Bluetooth speakers, cables, hi-fi and smartphones from big brands like Sony, Samsung, Bose, JBL, Bang & Olufsen, Apple and Sonos.
But beware: not all that glitters is gold. Some discounts might seem hefty, but they might have been bettered previously, or be on sub-par products. We'll only feature deals that offer a worthwhile amount of money off on products that we recommend.
What benefits do Prime members get on Amazon Prime Day?
Without Prime, you can't take advantage of the discounts. There are all sorts of other benefits to Prime year round, like early access to 'Lightning deals', Prime Video and Amazon Music streaming, and try before you buy on certain items. Here's a list of more Prime benefits.
What are Prime Experiences?
Amazon introduced Prime Experiences at Prime Day 2023. These offered UK Prime members the chance to buy "limited-edition, once-in-a-lifetime" experiences during the sales event, including a trip to the set of Neighbours in Australia.
Amazon hasn't mentioned them since, so looks like it's quietly shelved the idea...
Is Amazon Prime Day for everyone?
It is, as long as you have signed up for Amazon Prime. No Prime, no deals. You can pay for Prime monthly (£8.99) or yearly (£95).
Editor's picks: the best of the recent Spring Deal Days deals
