Your Game Plan for Amazon Prime Day: 7 Perks That Will Save You More Money

Get your game plan ready, because Amazon’s massive Prime Day event is happening next week on Oct. 7 and 8. This is one of the biggest sales of the year, and you’ll want to be prepared to take advantage of the deals the moment they drop.

But let’s be clear: The best deals are for Prime members only. If you’re not already subscribed, now is the perfect time to sign up for a free trial to get access. A Prime membership is more than just free shipping; Amazon has a whole page dedicated to the other perks you get, from streaming to exclusive discounts.

Keep in mind that if you’ve been coasting on a friend or family member’s account for free shipping, that ride is officially over. Amazon has ended its popular shipping-sharing perk for those who don’t live in the same household, which means it’s time to get your own Prime account. The good news? You can sign up for the free trial just in time to access all the deals.

There are plenty of other perks that make it worth subscribing once your trial ends, though. In fact, Amazon has curated a dedicated web page for members to take advantage of all of the perks offered through the membership. 

Below, we’ll break down some of the best perks to keep in mind when shopping the big sale.

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Free same-day delivery on qualifying items

If there’s a product you want immediately, you can see if it’s available for delivery the same day you order. To check a product’s eligibility, look for delivery that’s marked as “Prime FREE Same-Day” while shopping. Note that your order will need to contain over $35 of qualifying items. If not, you’ll have to pay a small fee.

Amazon will deliver from morning until evening, so you won’t have to worry about receiving your order at 3 a.m. Same-day delivery isn’t available in all locations, so enter your ZIP code on the Amazon Same-Day Delivery page to see if you’re eligible.

Alexa offers discounts when you shop with an Echo

You can use your Amazon Echo to ask “Alexa, what are my deals?” anytime. Alexa will then share Prime-exclusive deals, and you’ll have the option to add the item to your cart, buy it now or move on to the next deal.

Schedule specific shipping dates for packages

Everyone knows about Amazon’s free two-day shipping, but another option is to choose a delivery date during checkout. It’s called Amazon Day, and it’s helpful if there’s a specific day you know someone will be at home to answer for packages, especially if it’s something pricey that you don’t want to risk leaving unattended.

If you order multiple items on different days, you can have them delivered on the same day as long as they’re eligible for this offer.

Track your packages with an Amazon Echo

If you have an Amazon Echo of any kind, you can use it to track your orders.

Just say “Alexa, where’s my package?” and your Echo will let you know where it is, who it’s for and when it’ll arrive. Once your order has been delivered, the Echo’s ring light will pulse yellow, and if you have the Echo Show, the delivery notification will appear on the screen.

Shop Early Access deals before non-members

If something you’ve been eyeing says “Prime Early Access,” as a Prime member, you can shop that sale 30 minutes before non-Prime members. You’ll still have to compete with other Prime members interested in the product before it sells out.

Get Amazon packages delivered to your garage

Porch pirates — thieves who steal packages left in front of homes — are no joke. Security site SafeWise told CNET that about 260 million packages were stolen from home exteriors in 2022 alone. The Amazon Key in-garage delivery service can stop porch theft completely and is an exclusive benefit to all Amazon Prime members.

When you use Amazon In-Garage Delivery, select Key Delivery at checkout. The kit is under $30 and turns your garage into a smart garage. It works the same as in-home delivery so Amazon will do all the verifying for you.

Send gifts to Prime members without addresses

An Amazon Prime feature lets you send someone a gift, even if you don’t have their address. For instance, if you’d like to send a coworker something for the holidays or their birthday but don’t know their address, you can still send a gift.

There’s a catch: That person must also have a Prime account, and you need either their phone number or email address associated with the account. Just note that not every item on Amazon is eligible.