Amazon Prime Day is back….sort of.

        While traditionally Amazon’s biggest shopping day lands in the middle of July, this year they introduced a second one slated for October 11 + 12th (tomorrow!) for folks to get a head start on holiday shopping and save big on the season’s hottest items. I suspect this is also to alleviate some of the shipping delays and supply chain issues we’ve seen recently. It can be really tricky to discern what is actually a good deal these days, so I wanted to share with you my best tips for ensuring you don’t overpay. Make a list, check it twice, then dive in below to see what I’ve curated as the best prices of the season.

Officially, yes. You must be an Amazon Prime member to shop Amazon’s Prime Day and Prime Early Access deals. There is a free 30-day trial available for new accounts. The trial will let you get in on the sale—just remember to cancel your membership before the month end to avoid any subsequent renewal charges. The best deals are reserved for Prime members, so taking advantage of the free trial is absolutely worth it.

Please note: as an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. This allows me to maintain my ad-free website and dedicate most of my time to showcasing small businesses across North America.

From home, to fashion, to baby items, to toys and tech – there are HUGE price drops live now and so much more coming. I’ll be updating in real time as the sales go live, so check back to these links often! 

Shop My Fave Amazon Canada Prime Sales

Shop My Fave Amazon USA Prime Sales

Shop ALL Canada’s Prime Early Access Deals

Shop ALL USA’s Prime Early Access Deals

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Here are 16 Prime Early Access Deals LIVE now!

ABC: Always be checking (prices, that is). Researching an item’s price is the most important aspect of determining the quality of a discount. Don’t fall prey to deceptive marketing language and inflated MSRP prices—my tips only take a few moments. The easiest step is to take a second to Google the items you’re considering so you can see the price across multiple stores.

One tool I like to use is Camelcamelcamel, which tracks Amazon’s prices over time. Just paste the Amazon link or ASIN (found in the Product Information section on the Amazon product page) into Camelcamelcamel’s search bar and you’ll be able to see an item’s lowest recorded price, its average price, and how frequently the price fluctuates. Some deals, such as Lightning Deals, are excluded from the pricing history, but it’s still useful to see what an item has sold for in the past. Make sure you choose the correct country on the top right hand side of the page – Amazon Canada and Amazon USA are separate sites with differing price history so you’ll want to ensure you’re looking at the correct data for you.

I also really like Keepa, which has an extension (available for multiple browsers) that shows the recent price history for products directly on the Amazon page so you never have to open a new tab.

Keep in mind that these websites may not work all the time. But being able to see how much a product cost right before the sale started (and whether the MSRP happened to increase) can be very helpful. Putting these tools together can help you deduce whether a deal is worth your money. 

Most important thing to note here: a sale is only great if you actually need that item because everything you don’t buy is always 100% off. Please don’t think you need to participate in a shopping day like Prime Day or Black Friday if your budget doesn’t allow for it. Your worth is not determined by what you do or do not spend. I have always advocated for balance in all things and that includes how I shop. I support small local makers, bakers, and creators as often as I can and I supplement through large retailers when needed. This is normal, this is acceptable, and this is responsible consumerism. It’s easy for folks to say that Big Box retailers are evil, but the reality is that they provide access to merchandise at budgets most can afford and that is crucially important. Don’t feel bad for shopping where you can, when you can, or not shopping at all. Don’t let yourself feel pressured into buying anything that doesn’t make sense for you.

From my family to yours, 

Rachel xo