Amazon’s October Prime Day is officially returning: The two-day fall sale will run from Tuesday, Oct. 6, through Wednesday, Oct. 7 this year. Formally called Prime Big Deal Days, the sale kicks off the unofficial start to the holiday shopping season.
Also: You could qualify for Amazon Prime at 50% off without even knowing – here’s the details
ZDNET has already been tracking early deals, and we’ll continue monitoring all-time low prices and significant price drops on categories our editors test and love. Here’s everything you need to know to save the most.
What is October Prime Day?
October Prime Day is the popular colloquial term for Amazon’s annual fall shopping event, formally titled “Prime Big Deal Days.” The event is typically held in October, similar to the retailer’s flagship summer Prime Day event.
When is the Prime Big Deal Days sale?
In 2026, the Prime Big Deal Days sale will run from Oct. 6-7. Unlike the summer Prime Day event, it will only last two days, not four.
When does Prime Day end?
The sale begins at 12:01 a.m. PDT on Oct. 6, and runs through 12:01 a.m. PDT on Oct. 7, or about 3:00 a.m. EST if you’re on the East Coast.
Where is October Prime Day happening?
This year, Prime Day will be live in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, the US, and the UK, and for the first time, Colombia, Ireland, and Mexico — the same as the last event.
What are the top retailers to keep an eye on for the event?
Any Amazon event will undoubtedly bring competition. Like we’ve seen in years past, other major retailers will offer competing sales, deals, and discounts. Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Costco, and other retailers will compete with Amazon’s October Prime Day offerings, often price-cutting the same items during the same periods or extending their own sales. Last year, Target, Best Buy, Walmart, and Costco held sales events in October. I’ll keep this list updated with other retailer event details as they become available.
How can I get the most out of October Prime Day?
Throughout the October sale, we’ll be extensively updating ZDNET.com live with all the best deals on products we’ve tested and would recommend. We’ll also curate, share, and update hand-picked lists of top deals in several product categories, including laptops, security cameras, tablets, and Amazon devices.
Also: I’ve used Rakuten for a year and earned nearly $700 – here’s how
And as the shopping editor, I know a thing or two about smartly scoring savings, too. This year, I’ll share my tips and tricks with you before the busiest shopping season. Follow along with my tips and my byline here.
Do you need to be a Prime member to shop the sale?
The Prime Big Deal Days event is a Prime-exclusive sale. That means you’ll need to sign up for a membership to shop the sale, but keep in mind plenty of other retailers will likely aim to match or outcompete Amazon’s prices with their own sales that overlap, precede, or come after the Prime Big Deal Days sale — and you may not need a membership for those.
Can I share a Prime membership to shop Prime Day deals?
Technically, yes. Prime account log-ins can be shared with others to extend the savings, but it’s generally a good idea to keep personal accounts tied to yourself or an immediate family member, like a spouse.
When is Prime Day 2026?
Amazon’s most recent summer Prime event was June 23-26. The fall Prime Big Deal Days event is the second of the year, and will run from Oct. 6-7.
What is Prime Day?
Prime Day is Amazon’s member-exclusive sales event. Prime Day occurs in both the fall (October) and the summer (June or July).
How often does Amazon have Prime Day?
Amazon typically runs Prime Day in the summer and the fall. The fall event, Prime Big Deal Days, falls in October, while the flagship summer Prime Day event traditionally occurs in July. This year, however, Amazon hosted its Prime Day sale in June.
Is Amazon Prime Day worth it?
Amazon Prime Day can be worth it, especially if you’re looking to obtain discounts on flagship Amazon tech like Fire TV Sticks, Fire TVs, Fire tablets, Echo devices, Kindles, and more. Typically, you find the best prices on these products during Amazon’s exclusive Prime events, but not always. It’s always effective and recommended to research product specs and prices before making a purchase during any sale event. Tools like online price trackers can be great resources, too.
What to buy on Amazon Prime Day
There’s plenty to choose from during Prime Day, but I typically recommend considering flagship Amazon products like Kindles, Echo devices, Fire Sticks, and more. Amazon doesn’t traditionally discount its own flagship items as consistently as other products, so Prime-exclusive events tend to be a good time to consider deals. However, you’ll still need to be sharp. Prime Day brings savings, but most of the time it won’t be the lowest-ever pricing, though it could come close.
Do Prime Day deals change daily?
Generally, no, Prime Day deals do not change on a daily basis. While there may be some exclusive offers, lightning deals, or limited-time pricing that can fluctuate day-to-day, as well as more or less deals in one category, historically many of the deals remain unchanged through the course of the Prime Day sale. There are a few exceptions to this, but generally Amazon denotes expiration dates or advertises the end of early or exclusive offers.
How to shop during Amazon Prime Day
There are a few things I recommend doing to make shopping during Prime Day easier:
- Update addresses and payment info for quick checkout
- Subscribe to Prime for full access to the sale event
- Make a list of “want or “need” items you may be interested in purchasing
- Set a budget if you plan to shop on Prime Day
- Begin researching and price tracking products you’re interested in
Amazon Prime Day vs. Black Friday
Generally, some of the best deals of the year fall during the holiday shopping period, before the December holidays. Most notoriously, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the rest of Cyber Week are great times to grab savings on top tech, especially last year’s (or prior) device models. This is because tons of new tech is released from the spring into late summer, making the fall and winter ideal times to slash prices. However, the holiday season isn’t the only time to save. Thanks to the growth of online shopping, retailers can leverage savings whenever they want, and many turn to members-only discount events like Prime Day to do so. October Prime Day is a particularly unique sale that serves as a great way for retailers to clear out stock and shelves before prepping for Black Friday discounts.
Prime Day, Prime Big Deal Days, and other exclusive events like those from Walmart can be great opportunities to score exclusive products or offers, and for Amazon, that often includes flagship tech products like Echo devices, Fire tablets, and more — many of which aren’t sold at other major retailers. So while the holiday season still remains your best chance at scoring savings on the most broad amount of products, keep in mind that you can genuinely save whenever, as long as you know how to keep a watchful eye on products, compare prices, use helpful shopping tools, and trusted brands that do the grunt work for you (that’s us).
Does Amazon price match Walmart or Best Buy?
Amazon’s pricing policy is pretty set in stone. The retailer does not price-match other stores like Walmart or Best Buy. However, some Redditors have reported one-off successes in price matching (particularly when prices dropped on an item already purchased via Amazon). However, the official company-wide price policy is that no form of price matching is honored.
Also: Does Amazon price match other retailers? What to know
Do other retailers price-match Amazon Prime Day deals?
Technically, no, but in reality, yes. Since Amazon’s Prime Day is classified as a member-exclusive event, most retailers, like Best Buy, list price matching during these periods as an exception to their policies. However, the fall/holiday sale period has become so competitive that you usually don’t need to initiate a price match on your own. Most of the time, other major retailers like Walmart and Target will directly match Amazon’s Prime Day prices themselves, or purposely offer lower rates. So there’s usually no need for a traditional price match, since these retailers already match sale prices as they compete for customers.
Also: Does Best Buy price match? Everything to know about matching prices online and in-store
How much does Amazon Prime cost?
Anyone can join Prime for $15 per month or $139 per year, or start a free 30-day trial if you’re eligible at https://www.amazon.com/amazonprime. Additionally, those 18-24 can get Prime for Young Adults and pay a discounted rate of $7.49 per month or $69 per year for a membership.
Also: How to get Amazon Prime for 50% off: The two ways to qualify in 2026
Additionally, qualifying government assistance recipients and select income-verified customers can get Prime Access for $7 per month at amazon.com/getprimeaccess.
How can I stay in the know about Prime Day?
Follow along with my team’s coverage as we navigate Amazon’s upcoming fall sale. I’ll be sharing tips, tricks, and the best ways to save, and have the scoop on all the details you need to know, including dates, end times, and more. Our team of ZDNET experts are working through the end of the event to catch the biggest lingering discounts, too. Add ZDNET as a preferred source in Google and subscribe to our Recommends newsletter, where we save you time and money delivering the best deals each week.
Why trust ZDNET to help you shop?
As a member of the ZDNET staff, I only write about deals on devices and products we would want to buy — devices and products we desire, need, or would recommend. I look for deals where products are at least 20% off (or are hardly ever on sale), using established price-comparison tools and trackers to determine whether the deal is on sale and how often it drops.
I also look over customer reviews to see what matters to real people who already own and use the products in the deals I recommend. These recommendations may also be based on my testing (or that of another ZDNET expert), along with extensive research and comparison shopping. The goal is to deliver the most accurate advice to help you shop smarter. ZDNET offers 33 years of experience, 30 hands-on product reviewers, and 10,000 square feet of lab space to ensure we bring you the best tech.
In 2025, ZDNET refined its approach to deals, developing a measurable system for sharing savings with readers like you. Our editor’s deal rating badges are affixed to most of our deal content, making it easy to interpret our expertise to help you make the best purchase decision.
Also: How we rate deals at ZDNET in 2026
Looking for more shopping tips? Check out the 3 money-saving tricks I use every time I shop online, learn how I saved over $700 using Rakuten, and my favorite tip for avoiding marketing emails. Plus, find out all the details on Prime for Young Adults, how you may be able to save 50% on Amazon Prime, and more.
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