Once upon a time, October was a quiet month for shopping as we counted down to Black Friday — but not anymore.
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we → count → Friday
Over the past few years, Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days sale, which is happening through tonight, October 7, has cemented itself in the retail calendar.
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which → happen → calendar
And while it’s not necessarily challenging to navigate, I’ve picked up some tips and tricks while covering it that may improve your shopping experience — and, even better, help you save more money.
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you → ’ → money
Below, I’m breaking down everything Prime members need to know about what deals are actually worth it, what’s skippable and tips to elevate your savings strategy.
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I also consulted experts about what you need to know, like the major differences between October Prime Day and Black Friday.
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What to buy during October Prime Day
Household basics and groceries
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buy → buy → basics
Those are some of the best products to buy during Prime Big Deal Days.
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Those → buy → Days
Brands know shoppers are increasingly concerned about rising prices, especially leading up to the holidays, so they’re dropping prices on essentials you can’t avoid buying.
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you → know → essentials
“Everyday costs are putting pressure on household budgets, and October Prime Day can be an opportunity to take some of that pressure off by stocking up on the non-perishable things your household goes through anyway,” says Stephanie Carls, a retail insights expert at RetailMeNot, an online coupon and savings platform.
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Carls → put → RetailMeNot
“A discount on something already on your list can help free up money in your budget for other holiday expenses.
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discount → help → expenses
I say it every Prime Day: My number one piece of advice is to walk around your home and make a list of your repeat buys.
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piece → say → buys
Add those to your cart first during the sale, and use whatever’s left in your budget to get less necessary items.
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whatever → add → items
Related deals available now
- 42% off Lysol Disinfecting Wipes
- 31% off Scott ComfortPlus Toilet Paper
- 30% off Cascade Platinum Plus Dishwasher Pods
- 29% off Energizer AA and AAA Batteries
- 29% off Colgate Optic White Pro Series High Impact White Toothpaste
- 23% off Orgain Organic Protein Powder
Amazon-owned devices
One of Amazon’s biggest Prime Day priorities is to sell products from the brands it owns, and the strongest deals usually center around Echo, Kindle, Fire, Ring and Blink devices — discounts are at least 30 percent off in most cases and can go up to 80 percent off.
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discounts → own → cases
That’s not to say you should ignore deals from other tech brands.
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you → ’ → brands
Apple, Sonos, Beats, Anker, Bose, Sony and more also drop prices on earbuds, Bluetooth speakers, smart home devices, portable chargers and smartwatches.
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Apple → drop → earbuds
But Amazon-owned devices are historically the most competitive since Amazon is the retailer hosting the sale and the brand selling the product, says Carls.
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Carls → own → product
Related deals available now
- 60% off the Amazon Fire TV Stick HD
- 55% off the Blink Video Doorbell
- 50% off the Ring Indoor Cam
- 53% off the Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet
- 50% off the Amazon Echo Dot
- 48% off the Amazon Smart Plug
Seasonal goods and holiday gifts
By hosting Prime Big Deal Days in October, Amazon essentially kicks off the holiday shopping season.
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Amazon → host → season
It’s also the last major sale before Halloween and Thanksgiving, so brands discount hosting supplies and festive decor, as well as cozy apparel and footwear.
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brands → ’ → supplies
Buying these types of products now lets you use them for the next few weeks.
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you → buy → weeks
Holiday gifts are also top of mind for shoppers during Prime Big Deal Days, but only certain ones are worth getting.
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ones → get → Days
If your loved ones have beauty products, gadgets and small home and kitchen appliances on their wish lists, now is the time to buy.
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time → love → lists
Related deals available now
- 42% off the Govee S14 Outdoor String Lights
- 41% off the National Tree Company 24-Inch Pre-Lit Majestic Fir Mini Christmas Tree
- 38% off the Staub Ceramic 16-Ounce Petite Pumpkin Cocotte
- 35% off the Yankee Candle Apple Pumpkin
- 29% off the Lego City Advent Calendar 2026
- 29% off the FYY Extra Large Warming Mat for Food
Small home and kitchen appliances
Save the mattresses, couches, washing machines and refrigerators for later — October Prime Day is all about small home and kitchen appliances.
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Day → save → appliances
Coffee makers, vacuums, toaster ovens, air purifiers and more go on sale throughout the event, and some of them even hit their lowest prices ever.
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some → go → prices
Related deals available now
- 34% off the Nespresso Verturo Pop+
- 31% of the Dyson V8 Cordless Vacuum
- 23% off the Ninja Creami 7-in-1 Ice Cream Maker
- 22% off the Our Place Rice Cooker
- 20% off the Shark StainStriker Portable Carpet/Upholstery Cleaner
- 20% off the Levoit 300X Air-Elite Air Purifier
What to skip during October Prime Day
During October Prime Day, skip buying the following products and wait until Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
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skip → skip → Friday
That’s when you’ll see a bigger selection of discounted items and lower overall prices.
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No, October Prime Day deals aren’t worse this year due to the current economic climate, according to the experts I talked to.
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In fact, because Amazon, Target and Walmart, three of the nation’s biggest retailers, are hosting their mega sales during the same week, they’re competing for your cart, which could motivate them to drop prices a little more than they originally planned to win you over, says Carls.
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Carls → host → you
That said, high inflation rates, the skyrocketing cost of fuel and looming changes in tariff policies may cause brands to raise baseline prices and offer weaker discounts in the future.
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brands → say → future
If you find a worthwhile deal on something you really need during October sales, don’t wait to buy it, says Porwal — that might cause you to pay more down the line.
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you → find → line
How to save the most money during October Prime Day
Make a plan
October Prime Day runs on urgency.
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Day → save → urgency
Limited-time deals sell out quickly, so planning is crucial.
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planning → sell → ?
Before you start adding products to your cart, I recommend doing the following:
- Make a shopping list: It helps you monitor prices on the products you actually need and avoid getting distracted by other things you aren’t planning on buying, says Carls.
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I recommend making a shopping list by adding items to Your Lists on Amazon’s website and/or app so everything is in one place.
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everything → recommend → place
- Set up deal alerts: Amazon adds new October Prime Day deals at 12 a.m., 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. PT each day of the event.
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Amazon → set → event
Instead of wasting time browsing, ask Alexa for Shopping, Amazon’s AI shopping assistant, to alert you when specific products, brands and products you frequently buy in general categories drop in price.
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you → waste → price
Plus, there might be restocks if something sells out.
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Alexa for Shopping can help you shop Prime Big Deal Days in other ways, too — learn more here.
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Track prices and comparison shop
Tracking prices is one of the only ways to know whether an October Prime Day deal is actually a good one.
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Evaluate price history graphs closely, which are available on some Amazon product pages and sites like CamelCamelCamel.
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They tell you whether the deal price is truly the lowest a product has dropped to in a while, or if it’s marked down from an inflated baseline.
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it → tell → baseline
…and 31 more, not listed.
The Aporia
