Amazon will begin its annual Prime Day sale on Monday.
But the deals may not be as good as they appear.
The consumer group Which? told BBC News that Amazon offers cheaper deals throughout the year than it does on Prime Day.
The 36-hour Prime Day sale, which is aimed at Prime subscribers, offers discounts on plenty of items across Amazons website. The deals are for a limited time though, with shoppers only allowed to buy the product while stocks last.
But the group Which? said some products are available for cheaper prices during other times of the year.
"Although these time-limited sales events can offer great discounts, not all offers will be as good as they seem," said Adam French, Which? consumer rights editor, according to BBC.
"It can be easy to get swept along by the hype and excitement on the day, so we recommend preparing in advance and researching what you want to buy, to make sure you can tell the difference between a good deal and a dud on Amazon Prime Day, he continued.
James Daley, the founder of Fairer Finance, a watch dog for consumer prices, told BBC the total bombardment of sales ads encourage shoppers to buy irrationally and not think through their decisions.
"It turns into a bombardment of high-pressure sales messages that can lead people to make the wrong decisions. It's time for us to have a debate on whether more boundaries need to be drawn, he said.
As Business Insider reported, Amazon is pulling out all stops to ensure as many customers as possible have access to Prime Day deals.
The company will offer free Amazon Prime trials, deals at Whole Foods, a massive concert performed by Ariana Grande and more. India even set up a virtual reality store for its Prime Day deals.
Prime Day isn't just about selling items it's about selling Prime, too, according to Business Insider.
This synergy works both ways. Amazon can bill the event as exclusive and catered to its Prime members while also offering trials and ensuring as many customers who want to shop can actually do so on the day, according to Business Insider. On the other hand, it's great advertising for its all-important Prime membership, which is key to Amazon's business.
Prime Day launched for the first time in Australia this year, and apparently, it failed to live up to the hype.
Slate investigated whether Amazons Prime Day is worth all the hype. A quick look found that there are better discounts throughout the year for expensive electronics, like TVs. However, consumers can find good deals on headphones and Amazon products.
If youre looking for expensive electronics like a TV, youre likely better off waiting until Black Friday or Cyber Monday if you can, according to Slate. While Prime Day will have some deals, youll find greater variety during the holiday sales rush.
Amazons Prime Day launched at 1 p.m. MDT on Monday, July 16.
But the deals may not be as good as they appear.
The consumer group Which? told BBC News that Amazon offers cheaper deals throughout the year than it does on Prime Day.
The 36-hour Prime Day sale, which is aimed at Prime subscribers, offers discounts on plenty of items across Amazons website. The deals are for a limited time though, with shoppers only allowed to buy the product while stocks last.
But the group Which? said some products are available for cheaper prices during other times of the year.
"Although these time-limited sales events can offer great discounts, not all offers will be as good as they seem," said Adam French, Which? consumer rights editor, according to BBC.
"It can be easy to get swept along by the hype and excitement on the day, so we recommend preparing in advance and researching what you want to buy, to make sure you can tell the difference between a good deal and a dud on Amazon Prime Day, he continued.
James Daley, the founder of Fairer Finance, a watch dog for consumer prices, told BBC the total bombardment of sales ads encourage shoppers to buy irrationally and not think through their decisions.
"It turns into a bombardment of high-pressure sales messages that can lead people to make the wrong decisions. It's time for us to have a debate on whether more boundaries need to be drawn, he said.
As Business Insider reported, Amazon is pulling out all stops to ensure as many customers as possible have access to Prime Day deals.
The company will offer free Amazon Prime trials, deals at Whole Foods, a massive concert performed by Ariana Grande and more. India even set up a virtual reality store for its Prime Day deals.
Prime Day isn't just about selling items it's about selling Prime, too, according to Business Insider.
This synergy works both ways. Amazon can bill the event as exclusive and catered to its Prime members while also offering trials and ensuring as many customers who want to shop can actually do so on the day, according to Business Insider. On the other hand, it's great advertising for its all-important Prime membership, which is key to Amazon's business.
Prime Day launched for the first time in Australia this year, and apparently, it failed to live up to the hype.
Slate investigated whether Amazons Prime Day is worth all the hype. A quick look found that there are better discounts throughout the year for expensive electronics, like TVs. However, consumers can find good deals on headphones and Amazon products.
If youre looking for expensive electronics like a TV, youre likely better off waiting until Black Friday or Cyber Monday if you can, according to Slate. While Prime Day will have some deals, youll find greater variety during the holiday sales rush.
Amazons Prime Day launched at 1 p.m. MDT on Monday, July 16.
