Member of Amazon Prime? Billed as “Amazon’s Largest Event Ever,” Amazon Prime is preparing for July 12th, their monster sale to attract new prime membership. While my Amazon thoughts always focus on books, particularly for Kindle, there are actually over 100,000 items set to go on “Black Friday” level sales. This one-day only global sale will include everything from books to BBQ’s. This is their second annual Prime Day event where worldwide members “ordered 398 items per second,” last year beating out their own Black Friday sales. Deals will start every five minutes through the day.
Of course, there is a special deal for Kindle Unlimited, which is a $10 monthly subscription service, for up to 40% off. This doesn’t just include books, but ebooks and audiobooks as well. So are we jazzed or what?? Just when I was thinking of offering a sale of Stanley McShane books, they are promoting a monster sale. And yes, these specials extend to the UK, Spain, Japan, Italy, Germany, France, Canada, Belgium, and Austria. Love it!
So what could go wrong?
1) You Must Be a Prime Subscriber
But wait–you don’t HAVE to subscribe to take advantage of this sale day–there is a free 30-day trial. AND if you are a student, there is a six-month free trial. If you sign on after that, student membership is only $49–a bargain in itself. The bad news? I don’t see that same advantage for seniors. What’s up with that?!
2) Early Countdown Deals
Mainly talking about TV’s and toys, but may include their Kindle products as well. Possible deals on Amazon Alexa powered devices, Echo, Dot, or Tap. (And, if you shop with Alexa, you may get an additional discount. Ask the device for specials.) The bad news? These items may be stocked in limited quantities. When they are gone; they’re gone.
3) Set Notifications for Deals
Have an Amazon account? Use your Android device to set notifications for early access deals you want to watch for. Also, use Amazon Fire and iOS apps. The bad news? Do your research–is this really a good deal for the item you want? Not necessarily, according to Rick Broida @cheapskateblog, who refers you to CamelCamelCamel. This site tracks Amazon price histories. As I’ve always said, nothing is ever simple! Rick advises doing a copy/paste of the item you want to see if it has been offered cheaper. Can you wait for it to go cheaper again?
While some items may be found in a dollar store, it’s still possible that a savvy shopper may find just what they were looking for at a price willing to pay. Amazon will be offering books, ebooks or print, and I hope your choice will include something from Stanley McShane. I love a bargain–and I’ll be watching Amazon Prime Day too! Happy shopping! ©2016 Virginia Williams
Rosepoint Publishing 