How locals can save hundreds on Amazon Prime Day

Last year Amazon spent $40million* on adverts for Prime Day, making it almost impossible for online shoppers to avoid. Although it may seem like a bargain on the day, new research has revealed many products can be found cheaper at other times of the year from different retailers.

Europe’s leading price comparison site idealo.co.uk has revealed the best time of year to purchase some of the most popular products on Prime Day for shoppers to make the most savings.

Its research found that other online stores are cheaper for the majority of the time, in fact, Amazon was only the cheapest place to buy some items 1% of the time.

Observing month-by-month sales since the last Prime Day in July 2019, idealo found that Amazon was only the cheapest option for certain products for a small amount of time over the last year. Focusing on one event such as Black Friday or Prime Day could result in spending much more than needed, making it important to check all year round.

Below is a table highlighting how often Amazon was the cheapest time to buy popular products during Prime 2019:

Below is a table showing when to buy these popular Prime Day products for cheapest at other points during the year:

Not only are competitor retailers often cheaper, Amazon can also increase prices during Prime, reducing your savings on what you thought was a deal. Below were the cheapest months to buy the following products on Amazon across 2019-2020:

iPhone XR – August
Huawei P30 Lite – March
Samsung RB31FDRNDSA Fridge Freezer – June
Beko CFP1691 Fridge Freezer – June
PES 2019 Video Game – November
Mario Kart 8 Video Game – December
MAC Cosmetics Studio Fix Fluid Make Up – May
Benefit Hoola Bronzer – May

idealo’s Communications and PR Manager Katy Phillips commented on the findings: “There are several reasons why prices can fluctuate all year round, with many retailers using artificial intelligence and algorithms to dynamically adjust prices according to consumer demand, competitor prices and even the weather.”

“Amazon Prime Day is undoubtedly a great time to snap-up a deal, but shoppers do have to be a little bit savvy and look elsewhere in order to really get the best bargains. Preparation and patience is key, and we’d urge shoppers to remember to compare prices of products to make sure they are getting the best deal on offer”.

idealo’s top five tips for Amazon Prime Day shoppers are:

1. Preparation is key, start your research early to make sure you get the best deal.
2. Don’t take the first deal you see. Only by comparing prices can you have the confidence that you are bagging a bargain.
3. Know exactly what items you want and don’t buy anything on a whim, especially if you haven’t researched them.
4. Download the idealo.co.uk app and set price alerts or monitor the price history of the items you have your eye on.
5. Keep an eye on Amazon’s Lightning Deals as they are only available for a limited amount of time, while stocks last.