Prime Day Strategy Guide: How to Make the Most of Amazon Prime Day

Last year, Amazon introduced its Prime Day with great success. It broke Black Friday records, with hundreds of items being sold every second from start to finish. It's no surprise that Amazon wants to try to recreate that triumph, and this year Amazon Prime Day could last a solid 40 hours, or even a full week.

But some readers may recall from last year, this isn't your typical sale. There are waves of products being released at different times, with some being far hotter than others. And with so many Prime members waiting for the offers, some items were gone in seconds.

In an effort to make sure you don't miss out on the deals Amazon is planning, we've put together a strategy guide on how to approach Prime Day.

There Are 3 Types of Prime Day Deals

Prime Day savings are going to be spread out across three different types of deals. First there are the Prime Day Spotlight Deals. These are good until stock runs out, and, according to Amazon, the "best deals you'll find on Prime Day."

Second are the Amazon Lightning Deals. If you've ever shopped the site, especially on Black Friday, these will look extremely familiar. Lightning Deals are short-lived and limited-stock deals. They typically run for around three hours before they expire. They feature a status bar that shows the percentage of items claimed and a timer showing the amount of time left on the promotion.

If the deal is fully claimed, you can sign up for the waiting list by clicking the Join Waitlist button as long as there's an open slot left. If you have the app downloaded, you'll receive a notification on your phone if the item becomes available again and you can claim it.

The last kind of deal falls under the Prime Savings and Deals section. These are promotions that run all day. ("Or within Prime Day," according to Amazon, which probably means end of day, give or take a few hours.) These will require you to click "See Details" to see what the discount amounts to. Add the item to your cart and you'll see the discount applied on the checkout page.

You Can Try Prime Free for 30 Days

If you don't currently have a Prime membership, but the idea of Prime Day is intriguing to you, go ahead and sign up for Prime now. Currently, a year's membership is $119. But you can also dip your toe in the Prime water and sign up for a free 30-day trial. You'll still be able to take advantage of the deals on Prime Day (as well as other perks of Prime). You're also free to cancel after Prime Day, if you no longer want to be a member.

Create a Wishlist to Easily Scan for Desired Discounts

What are you looking for on Prime Day? Think about what you want to shop for, whether it's household items or big-ticket buys. Put it all on a separate wishlist. This will make double-checking prices so much easier on Prime Day, when time will be a factor. The sooner you make your list, the better, since Amazon is likely to host a handful of deals every day leading up to Prime Day.

SEE ALSO: When Is Amazon Prime Day 2019?

Once you've finished your list, it's time to check it. Pull it up and sort by items with price drops. This is the easiest way to check to see if there's been a decrease since you added these picks. It's also a great way to know if you're getting a good deal, or you're getting ripped off with a bogus sale price.

How to Know if Lightning Deals Are Worth Buying

We recommend doing your research beforehand, so you know how good a price drop is when you see it. But if you're faced with a deal that you haven't researched, what can you do?

First, add the item to your cart. Once you have it in cart, you have 15 minutes to complete the purchase before the item is released to the public again. That should be enough time to do a quick search in Google Shopping to discern whether the price is currently the lowest.

If you take the plunge and discover later that the deal wasn't worth it, Amazon is pretty lenient with returns. However, be aware that if you give your reason for returning as you just didn't want it, you could be subject to a return shipping fee, or a restocking fee.

Waiting for a Lightning Deal to Go Live? Get Alerts on Your Phone

Another great way to tackle Lightning Deals is by using the Amazon App. Browse through upcoming deals, mark "Watch Deal" on the ones you're interested in while in the App. (You can also do this on the website once you've logged in.) Then, right before the deals become available, you'll receive a notification on your smartphone. Make sure you have notifications set on the app so you don't miss out!

Borrow a Friend's Echo to Take Advantage of Alexa-Only Deals

This year, Amazon wants customers to shop with Alexa, so it's offering some incentives to do so. From today through Prime Day, using Alexa to shop will score you $10 off an order over $20. To order with Alexa, use the Echo, Echo Dot, or Tap, and ask Alexa to order you something. Amazon suggests "Alexa, order an Amazon Tap" of course (which you can currently snag for $79, an Editors' Choice price). Don't have an Alexa-supported device? Try borrowing one from a friend, or asking them to order on your behalf.

Follow on Facebook for Extras

Amazon is advertising via Facebook this year. If you mark that you're attending Prime Day on the event page and then you'll be eligible for certain extras that Amazon is advertising. These are purported to include tips and tricks on shopping Prime Day deals, giveaways, relevant news, information on various deals, and exclusive content.

Check the Price History to Avoid Being Ripped Off

Something to always be concerned about during major sales (or any other time you're shopping, really) is making sure you don't end up being ripped off. It seems like retailers are constantly being outed as having fake sales, where they mark up the prices significantly and then try to claim the sales are bigger than they actually are. Many people thought some Prime Day sales last year fell into the "meh" category.

A great way to avoid the mediocre deals at this year's Prime Day sale is to use Camel Camel Camel. It's available as an extension or you can just use the website, if you'd rather not to install a new browser add-on. Using this tool, you can track pricing over time from Amazon, as well as third-party sellers. If you search for a particular item, you can see the pricing history and know whether the Prime Day discount is great, or just OK. Camel Camel Camel also lets you set a price alert, so that you'll know when an item hits your desired price.

Readers, are you shopping Prime Day this year? What strategies will you be using? Let us know in the comments below!