Amazon Prime Day was in late June this year, but given 2020’s sale was in October, some are questioning if there could be a part-two in 2021.
Amazon Prime Day is one of the biggest online shopping events of the year. Could there be another major round of member-only discounts this year?
Google analytics suggest some users are still asking that very question – with one popular phrase during the past seven days asking when the next Prime Day will be in 2021 – despite the annual sales event previously taking place in late June.
It’s not too surprising, given that last year’s Prime Day took place in October due to supply and staffing disruptions associated with the COVID pandemic. But as Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021 approach – here’s everything we know.
Still hunting for upcoming tech bargains? Don’t miss our John Lewis Black Friday deals page and Amazon Black Friday deals page, which detail what products we can expect to see on offer in November – and when those sale events will start.
If you’re searching for a deal now, check out our pick of this month’s best Amazon Echo deals, best Audible deals, best tablet deals and best smartwatch deals.
Are there rumours for another Amazon Prime Day in 2021?
Amazon typically holds one Prime Day event in a year, promoting discounts only available for members of its Prime subscription service. But speculation has simmered, suggesting that a second major sale event could possibly still happen before 2021 comes to an end – likely due to last year’s date reshuffle.
The 2020 delay – due to the health crisis – resulted in Prime Day shifting from the usual July period and instead of taking place on 13th October and 14th October. That meant the sales essentially ran into Black Friday, then straight into Christmas.
While 2021 saw Prime Day return to a more typical slot in June, it has left people asking if another Amazon Prime Day could take place later this year. A report from Recode, citing multiple sources, claimed Amazon previously considered adding another shopping event “around the fall” – but that remains unverified.
Amazon is yet to say if it’s planning a fresh batch of Prime Day discounts, but it may be likely to occur in October if it does take place. That would align with the 2020 event and still leave enough room before Black Friday in 2021.
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What happened on Prime Day in June 2021?
Amazon’s Prime Day 2021 sale ran between 21st June and 22nd June. There were deals on a wide variety of tech products – including many from its own ranges of smart home speakers, smart home displays, Ring doorbells, tablets and earbuds.
As always, Amazon went big. It apparently paid off, with a media release boasting some whopping sales numbers – noting that Prime members had bought more than 250 million items across the world during the two-day event, with the Fire TV Stick 4K with Alexa Voice Remote being the most popular item purchased.
Amazon said in its second quarter financial results that it was also a huge sale for its third-party sellers, as customers forked out $1.9 billion on products during the “Spend $10, Get $10” promotion in the two-week lead-up to Prime Day. That ended up being double than was spent in 2020’s small business promotion, it said.
During June’s Prime Day, there were some great discounts – including a 50% drop on the Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen), over 40% off the Fitbit Sense watch, and over 40% off the Fire TV Stick 4K streaming stick. The Fire HD Kids tablet dropped by £70, and there was £200 off the Shark Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Vacuum Cleaner.
According to analytics giant Statista, Prime Day 2021 brought in an estimated $11.2 billion (U.S.) in sales this year – the best result since the event started in 2015.
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— Amazon (@amazon) June 2, 2021
Amazon Prime Day vs Black Friday
There are two main differences between Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday. The first is that Black Friday sales can be found at numerous retailers – not just Amazon. Last year, we saw competitors including Very, John Lewis, AO, Currys PC World, Boots and Argos launch sale events across the Black Friday period.
The second is that you do not need to be an Amazon Prime member to take advantage of any Black Friday deals on Amazon, unlike Prime Day. Amazon Prime Day is much more limited than Black Friday. More specifically, Prime Day is a 48-hour sale that is dedicated to providing Prime members with exclusive discounts.
And while Amazon Prime Day took place in June this year, the Black Friday sales are still to come. Black Friday 2021 falls on Friday 26th November this year, but discounts are expected to start as early as the beginning of the month. Black Friday is typically the last opportunity to get a big deal before Christmas.
Along with the best Black Friday deals, we’ll also be covering any discounts across the most popular products, including the best Nintendo Switch Black Friday deals and Black Friday iPhone deals following the predicted iPhone 13 release date.
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How to find a good deal on Amazon
While sales such as Black Friday and Prime Day provide great opportunities to bag a bargain, they aren’t the only way to find a good deal on Amazon. Here are a few tips on how to uncover the best discounts on Amazon outside of sales.
- Sign up for Amazon Prime. With Prime, you get free premium delivery, early access to limited-time deals, access to Prime Music and Amazon Prime Video is included, too. The 30-day free trial is a great way to test out how much you use these benefits before committing. After those 30 days, the membership costs £7.99 a month or £3.99 a month if you’re a student.
- Keep an eye on Amazon’s lightning deals. You can still find good deals when sales events like Black Friday and Prime Day aren’t on. Amazon has a dedicated ‘today’s deals’ tab that’s filled with offers that refresh every day. You’ll find discounts there across a range of technology products, such as smartwatches and smartphones, to home appliances and toys.
- Compare prices. Not only should you check Amazon’s prices against other retailers, but also Amazon itself. The tool CamelCamelCamel is a price tracker specifically for Amazon and will be able to tell you when the product was at its cheapest and at what price. This is a great way to know for certain if you’re getting the best price possible or if it’s better to hold off for now.
For the latest news, reviews and deals, check out the RadioTimes.com Technology section. If the technology deals you’re after, don’t miss our guides to Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021 – including the best Amazon Black Friday deals.