The Insider's Guide to Navigating PRIME BIG DEAL DAYS: Smart Shopping Choices

It’s almost October, which means that Amazon is preparing for its annual Prime Big Deal Days. These are exclusive deals for Amazon Prime members, available for only 48 hours on Oct 8 and 9 for a wide range of products. But you know what they say about anything that glitters: sometimes it’s fool’s gold. So whether you’re in the market for potato salad servers or pellet grills, here’s how to avoid the big day’s pitfalls and make the best shopping decisions.

Heading into Prime Territory: Choose Wisely

Shifting Through Seller Credentials

Browsing Amazon’s bewildering array of wares can be a bit like exploring a new country. One of the best tips I’ve heard if you’re going e-commerce exploring is to buy things that Amazon sells and ships (which isn’t the same thing as just saying ‘buy things with Amazon Prime’). It’s not just because you want the item to actually arrive safely; it’s about buying with confidence. Dealing with a third-party seller could be a shortcut to buying a counterfeit item or, worse, getting ripped off. That isn’t always fatal, depending on Amazon’s ‘A-to-z Guarantee’, the policy it has for protecting customers when things go wrong, but it’s certainly a smarter way to play is to dodge dodgy deals altogether.

Discerning Deals: Too Good to Be True?

Shoppers who see a heavily discounted deal on Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days need to recognise what they are looking at. Before you hit ‘Add to Cart’, you should check to see if the deal is actually a deal. Go to the manufacturer’s website to look up the product’s MSRP, or compare prices on other online retailers. You can use websites like camelcamelcamel, a price tracker for Amazon, for a historical overview of an item’s pricing. This can tell you if it is truly a great deal or just a good deal masquerading as a great deal.

Impulse Buys: The True Cost

It’s easy to get caught up in the adrenaline of bargains and succumb to temptation without considering the long term. A Google survey this spring found that an incredible 90 per cent of American adults have buyer’s remorse after an impulse buy. The moral of the story? Just because it’s on sale doesn’t mean you need to put it in your cart.

The Ring Conundrum: To Buy or Not to Buy

Amazon’s Ring offers a foothold in the home security market, but also a price to those who don’t value their privacy. Ring’s record of security issues and its deals that have courted controversy with law enforcement loom large. As tempting as these deals are, they also offer a scenario that presents a hefty price to pay for both your privacy and that of your neighbourhood.

The Amazon Advantage: Navigating Prime Day with Insight

Knowledge Is Power

If you know your battlefield, you are more likely to emerge victorious when armed with common sense You know the drill at Prime Big Deal Days: set your alarm, log in, grab a cup of coffee to ward off the cannibalising zombie rage. Do your homework and have a game plan. Even if you are just browsing, you’ll want to know what is statistically more likely to make it to checkout. Use the tools to check out a deal before you buy. Stick to your list so you don’t succumb to ‘scurvy of the eyeballs’. Stay away from the dodgy products with a history of privacy concerns. Then you might actually see a Prime Day as the very good deal it’s meant to be.

A Haven for Shoppers: Amazon Unveiled

The massive online emporium Amazon (whose fulfilment centres are the primary engine of Prime Big Deal Days) offers cues to consumers who may feel trapped by the cascade of discounts. Messaging on Amazon’s website and products stresses the company’s commitment to buyer protection and rewards — such as its two-Day Shipping plan or Prime — all aimed at producing positive consumer experiences. But it suggests that the best thing consumers can do to feel safe amid Prime Big Deal Days is to shop smart.

And next time Prime Big Deal Days roll around, may these insights help you shop with confidence and consciousness. The best buy is the one that’s also the best buy. Happy shopping!