Prime members will find Amazon’s fall sale, Prime Big Deal Days, running from Tuesday, Oct. 6, through Wednesday, Oct. 7, with a 48-hour shopping window dedicated to electronics, appliances, and seasonal essentials.
The sale is often called “October Prime Day,” even though it happens in early October. That name has been part of the event since Amazon first launched its fall promotion in 2022.
The 2022 Launch
The company’s first fall Prime event took place in 2022, with Amazon presenting it as “a chance to kick off the holiday shopping season early.” At that point, the event carried the name Prime Early Access Sale.
In 2023, Amazon renamed it to Prime Big Deal Days and expanded its scope to cover “everything Prime members need for Autumn,” including early holiday offers and deals on seasonal household essentials like groceries. The sale is a two-day, members-only event that happens every year in early October.
What Prime Big Deal Days Offers
Big price drops tend to hit Amazon’s own gear the hardest. Kindle e-readers, Fire TVs, and Echo smart speakers all get large reductions during the sale. The event belongs to Amazon, so its own products take the biggest hits.
Extended free trials for Amazon Music Unlimited are available to shoppers during Prime Big Deal Days, alongside discounts on a wide range of products from well-known brands. The event regularly covers items from Apple, Bissell, Bose, Dyson, Eufy, Keurig, KitchenAid, Lego, Ninja, Samsung, Shark, and Sony. Among the bargains are gadgets such as headphones, earbuds, laptops, tablets, TVs, gaming gear, and robot vacuums.
The sale is expected to draw extra attention this year because of the ongoing RAM shortage. Just last month, Amazon itself raised the prices of over 20 of its devices due to “significant increases in memory and storage component costs,” a company rep told Fortune.
Who Can Shop the Sale
Like summer’s main Prime Day sale, Prime Big Deal Days is only open to members of Amazon’s Prime program. You are still eligible for the deals even if you are only on a trial Prime membership. Most people get 30 days free, but college students and those ages 18 to 24 get six whole months of Prime for free through the Prime for Young Adults program.
Sign up for Prime at amazon.com/amazonprime. Be sure to cancel your membership before the trial period ends to prevent your account from turning into a paid subscription. Amazon’s current rates stand at $14.99 per month or $139 per year; Prime for Young Adults members get a 50% discount.
Other Retailers Join the Event
None of Walmart, Best Buy, or Target have announced their counter-programming yet at the time of writing. These retailers usually run their own sales alongside Prime Big Deal Days.
It’s worth noting the gap. Generally, the three stores run their own sales during the fall season, and their exclusion from the announcement list signals that shoppers should check back later for specifics on how each store intends to proceed.
The Timing Question
While Amazon’s main Prime Day event takes place just once each summer, the company holds two additional sales exclusively for Prime members during the year. There is the Big Spring Sale in March and the October event, which is nicknamed “October Prime Day.”
Amazon’s sale takes place in early October, a period that falls just over a month ahead of Black Friday. Referring to it as “October Prime Day” gives the impression that the company is marking a holiday that has no real existence.
Since the sale first began, the name has carried an irony so slight that it has barely registered, even though 2022 was always part of it.
Why This Year Matters
This year’s deals are being shaped most by the RAM shortage. Prices for components have risen sharply, and Amazon has already raised prices on more than 20 of its own devices. That upward pressure is likely to affect pricing across the entire range of electronics.
The promotion brings together laptops, tablets, TVs, and gaming hardware at cut-rate prices, along with seasonal necessities like groceries, which Amazon included in the scope in 2023. That mix of electronics and household goods means shoppers can update their tech and ready their homes for the colder months all in one trip.
This week could bring the first Early Prime Big Deal Days offers, with preview deals appearing before the official start so shoppers can get ahead of the crowd.
The Bottom Line
Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days gives Prime members a chance to upgrade their gear or stock up ahead of the holidays at discounted prices, along with extra free trials for Amazon services. The sale covers Amazon devices, popular brand electronics, and seasonal household essentials.
The promotion lasts from Tuesday, Oct. 6, until Wednesday, Oct. 7. Anyone hoping to benefit from it should put those dates on their calendar ahead of time.
- The sale runs from Tuesday, Oct. 6, through Wednesday, Oct. 7.
- It is a 48-hour event.
- It is often called “October Prime Day,” even though it happens in early October.
- The sale is expected to draw extra attention this year because of the ongoing RAM shortage.
- Early Prime Big Deal Days offers could start to pop up as soon as this week.
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