Amazon Prime Day: Use these tips to find the really good deals

In short, lightning deals are often products that are purchased spontaneously, such as makeup, skincare products or toys. Prime members can preview offers on the Amazon website and mobile app. You can even get notifications in the app when a Lightning Deal starts.

How does the “Invite-Only Deals” system work?

The best offers sometimes sell out quickly. To get around this problem, Amazon introduced an invite-only program during Prime Days. Prime members can request an invite for items that are expected to sell out. This feature is only available for select products, but it extends across a wide range of price points and categories, including kitchen, electronics, fashion and beauty.

In this case, on the right side of the page you will see a button with “Request an invitation”. If you click on it, you will have the chance to buy the product at the special price, but there is no guarantee that you will be invited. An Amazon spokesperson asks the company for “submissions from bots” from the list of requests and selects from the remaining customers. However, it is not clear How Amazon selected from the remaining list of interested buyers.

If you’re selected, you’ll receive both an email and a notification through the Amazon app when Prime Day begins. The offer is valid until the end of Prime Day – you must also purchase the product before the end of the two-day event.

Are there other ways to ensure an offer isn’t sold out?

If you know when an offer starts, you should pay attention to the start time on the product page. You may also be able to add an item to your cart before the sale begins to refresh the page and then purchase it immediately. The Amazon Shopping app lets you set up personalized deal alerts to let you know when items you’ve recently searched for are on sale – but only if you’re a Prime member.

It is advisable to register with trusted retailers from whom you may wish to purchase. This allows you to provide your payment information and shipping address so that it is saved in advance and you can order faster. If a product is sold out, we recommend checking other online shops. They usually also discount their products on Amazon Prime Day.

Should I really buy something?

It’s easy to fall into a trap during events like Prime Day or other shopping days. Maybe you see a great deal on a product you don’t really need. But the price is so good that you still think about buying it. All we can say is: Don’t do it. Rather, make a list of items that you really need and have wanted for a long time. On Prime Day itself, you should check whether the items are on sale and whether it is a really good deal. Only then should you really buy it.

This is not the only opportunity to get a good deal this year. The last major sales event of the year is Black Friday and Cyber ​​Monday. Then the prices could fall even further.

This article was originally published by WIRED.