Amazon Prime sales are great ways to save big on a huge variety of items, from beauty products to smart home devices. Whether it's Prime Day in the summer or Prime Big Deal Day in the fall, before you start hitting "add to cart" you'll want to watch out for these common costly mistakes.
1. Not considering the Prime Visa credit card
If you shop a lot on Amazon, apply for the Prime Visa card (see rates and fees). It has strong cash-back options of up to 5% at both Amazon and Whole Foods, plus 2% back on gas, restaurants and more. The card makes our top pick for Amazon shopping due to high cash back on Amazon purchases, plus the gift card Prime members receive upon approval, with no spending required.
The Prime Visa is only available to Amazon Prime members ($139 for an annual membership and $14.99 for a monthly membership) but is very rewarding for Amazon purchases.
- High rate of return at Amazon and Whole Foods
- Easy-to-earn welcome bonus
- Requires an Amazon Prime membership
- If you choose the promo APR you won't earn rewards on those purchases
Rewards
- Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership
- Unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare)
- 10% back or more on a rotating selection of items and categories on Amazon.com with an eligible Prime membership
- Unlimited 1% back on all other purchases
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 4% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
You do need to be a Prime member to qualify for this card, but the card itself doesn't charge an annual fee.
2. Paying full price for Prime membership
There’s one catch to Prime Day: Sales are limited to Amazon Prime members. If you're put off by the $139 per year ($14.99 per month) membership charge, there are some ways to get a free Amazon Prime membership.
If you're new to Prime, you can sign up for a 30-day free trial using a valid credit card.
If you're a college student or a young adult (18 to 24), you can sign up for a free six-month Prime for Young Adults trial membership. (You'll have to verify your student status or provide age verification to complete the sign-up.)
In either case, make sure to set a reminder to alert you when the trial is over or your paid membership will begin automatically.
3. Automatically choosing the fastest shipping option
It’s no secret that Amazon is a strong option for fast shipping. But if your Prime Day purchases aren’t urgent, you could earn rewards with no-rush shipping.
Select a slower shipping option and, in return, you may receive digital rewards that can be redeemed on future purchases. These No-Rush rewards can be used to shop for select digital products, including video downloads, Kindle, eBooks, Digital Music and more, and they'll be automatically applied at checkout.
4. Not comparison shopping
Have your heart set on Nintendo Switch 2? Don’t assume that Amazon’s Prime Day price is the best out there. Since Amazon isn’t the only site slashing its prices, make sure to compare prices and perks across retailers.
Many stores and sites will also offer discounts during these times in an attempt to compete with Amazon's sales. Some stores may be offering better deals on certain products than Amazon is, so it's worth taking a look to save you some money.
Using a price tracker like camelcamelcamel can help you make an informed decision and make sure you're getting the best deal.
camelcamelcamel
Cost
Free
How to save
Get Amazon price drop alerts and monitor price history charts.
How to use it
Browse the website and download the Camelizer browser extensions.
How to receive your savings
Rewards aren't offered.
Terms apply.
5. Not waiting until Black Friday for some items
Prime Days are big, but it's hardly the online retailer's only sale of the year. You can often bank on big discounts for electronics, toys, kitchen gadgets, dinnerware and more after Thanksgiving, when Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales hit Amazon.
You may even get additional perks like early access, free shipping and more. Amazon periodically offers elevated welcome bonuses on the Prime Visa, so keep an eye out if you're interested in the card.
6. Shopping without a list
Navigating sales as vast as Amazon sales days without a list can be overwhelming — and easily lead to overspending.
Ahead of the sale, make a list of the items you’re searching for that are well-priced during this time of year. Prime Days can be a great time to stock up on household essentials like home, pet and baby products. Create a list and stick to it as you shop.
Instead of scrolling endlessly through discounted items, bookmark products you’ve been eyeing or add them to a wishlist. You can sign up to be notified when the item goes on sale and skip the temptation brought on by browsing the sales.
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At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every Amazon Prime article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of Amazon Prime products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.
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