Everything You Need to Know Before Amazon’s October Prime Day

Quick Points

So, Amazon's got its October Prime Day lined up for October 7 and 8. Can you believe it's almost here?
This event will kick off the holiday shopping season, offering deals on everything from beauty products to gadgets.
Brands like Samsung, LG, Sonos, and honestly, Dyson will likely be part of the savings bonanza. Nice!
You'll definitely want to keep your eyes peeled for competition; Walmart, Target, and Best Buy are ready with their sales too.
If you wanna score the best deals, stalking ZDNET during the event is a smart move—they'll keep tabs on all the price drops.

It’s September, which means fall seasonal sales and early holiday savings are on the horizon. And Amazon’s October Prime Day event (formally called Prime Big Deal Days) is one of the first. The retailer recently confirmed that the sale will return this year on Tuesday, Oct. 7, and Wednesday, Oct. 8. That’s about two weeks away.

Also: The best October Prime Day deals live now

Amazon says Prime shoppers can expect savings across various categories, including beauty, electronics, seasonal essentials, must-have gifts, toys, and more. Customers should see savings on brands like Samsung, LG, Sonos, and Dyson. Carmen Nestares, vice president of Amazon North America Marketing and Prime Tech, says the fall event is a kick-off to the holiday shopping season.

Also: Amazon to pay $2.5B settlement over tricking Prime subscribers – how to get your share

ZDNET will monitor for all-time low prices and significant price drops on categories our editors test and love. That’s why we’ve compiled everything we know about the event on this page, including deals on smart home gear, mobile accessories, and more. Here’s everything you need to know to save the most, including during October Prime Day.

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What is October Prime Day?

October Prime Day is the popular colloquial term for Amazon’s annual fall shopping event, formally titled “Prime Big Deal Days.” The event is typically held in October, similar to the retailer’s flagship July Prime Day event.

When is the Prime Big Deal Days sale?

Amazon unveiled the Prime Big Deal Days dates on Sept. 16. The popular sale event will return on Tuesday, Oct. 7, and Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. The dates are nearly identical to last year’s event on Oct. 8 and 9. The sale remains a two-day sale event (even though this year’s July Prime Day was extended to four days).

The sale itself will begin on Oct. 7 at 12:01 a.m. PDT and run through Oct. 8 at 12:01 a.m. PDT, or about 3:00 a.m. EST if you’re on the East Coast.

Also: Amazon is quietly cutting this Prime membership perk – here’s what you’re losing (and when)

Where is October Prime Day happening?

Amazon says that the Prime Big Deal Days sale will begin on Oct. 7 in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, the US, and the UK, and for the first time, Colombia, Ireland, and Mexico.

Are there usually live deals ahead of October Prime Day?

We likely won’t start seeing tons of deals advertised exclusively for “October Prime Day” just yet, but Amazon (and competition) already has plenty of discounts 24/7/365. We’ll start to see more offers slowly crop up, especially as other retailers announce their sales that may kick off before Amazon’s does.

Plus, Amazon unveiled a chunk of early offers, including 50% off select Amazon products like the Kindle Paperwhite for Prime members, 80% off select Kindle books, $15 off a $55 or more purchase when shopping in-store at Amazon Fresh, and more. You can read the full release, including more Prime-exclusive offers, at Amazon. Amazon also has distinct deals marked with “Early Prime Deal” badges.

early-prime-deal-badge — Screenshot by Kayla Solino/ZDNET

Best Amazon deals ahead of October Prime Day

Find more Prime Day deals

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What are the top retailers to keep an eye on for the event?

Any Amazon event will undoubtedly bring competition. Like before, other major retailers will offer competing sales, deals, and discounts. Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Costco, and other retailers will try to compete with Amazon’s October Prime Day offerings, often price-cutting the same items during the same periods or extending their own sales. Last year, Target, Best Buy, Walmart, and Costco offered sale events during October. We’ll update this article with all the info on Amazon’s competing sales when it becomes available.

Target Circle Week

Target confirmed that it will be holding a second Target Circle Week this year. The fall Target Circle Week will start on Oct. 5 and end on Oct. 11, overlapping with Prime Big Deal Days on Oct. 7 and 8.

How can I get the most out of October Prime Day?

Throughout the October sale, we’ll be extensively updating ZDNET.com live with all the best deals on products we’ve tested and would recommend. We’ll also curate, share, and update hand-picked lists of top deals in several product categories, including laptops, security cameras, tablets, and Amazon devices.

Also: I’ve used Rakuten for a year and earned nearly $500 – here’s how

And as the shopping editor, I know a thing or two about smartly scoring savings, too. This year, I’ll share my tips and tricks with you before the busiest shopping season. Follow along with my tips and my byline here.

Do you need to be a Prime member to shop the sale?

The Prime Big Deal Days event is a Prime-exclusive sale. That means you’ll need to sign up for a membership to shop the sale, but keep in mind plenty of other retailers will likely aim to match or outcompete Amazon’s prices with their own sales that overlap, precede, or come after the Prime Big Deal Days sale — and you may not need a membership for those.

How much does Amazon Prime cost?

Anyone can join Prime for $15 per month or $139 per year, or start a free 30-day trial if you’re eligible at amazon.com/prime. Additionally, those 18-24 can try Prime for Young Adults with a six-month $0 trial at amazon.com/youngadult then pay a discounted rate of $7.49 pmonthlyor $69 per year for a membership.

Additionally, qualifying government assistance recipients and select income-verified customers can get Prime Access for $7 per month at amazon.com/getprimeaccess.

Why trust ZDNET to help you shop?

As a member of the ZDNET staff, I only write about deals that I or a team member would want to buy — devices and products we desire, need, or would recommend. I look for deals where products are at least 20% off (or hardly ever on sale), using established price comparison tools and trackers to determine whether the deal is on sale and how frequently it drops.

I also look over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use products in the deals I recommend. These recommendations may also be based on my testing (or testing by another ZDNET expert), plus extensive research and comparison shopping. The goal is to deliver the most accurate advice to help you shop smarter. ZDNET offers 33 years of experience, 30 hands-on product reviewers, and 10,000 square feet of lab space to ensure we bring you the best tech.

In 2025, ZDNET refined its approach to deals, developing a measurable system for sharing savings with readers like you. Our editor’s deal rating badges are affixed to most of our deal content, making it easy to interpret our expertise to help you make the best purchase decision.

What are the best early Prime Day deals?

ZDNET’s experts have been searching through early Prime Day and other sales to find the best discounts by category. These are the best deals live now:

And the best deals from other retailers:

Our top Prime Day deals

[ For more curated tech news, check out the main news page here]

Sounds Nerdy Insights

What’s interesting here's how Amazon essentially created a holiday shopping momentum with this shorter Prime Day; they’re sneaking in just ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It’s like they’re planting a flag for sales early on!
This Two-day cut isn't as extended as their July event, but it seems strategic—given that they're aware folks have wallets primed from summer spending. Could we see better deals than in June?
The fact that other retail giants are competing means consumers might actually benefit more because it pushes prices lower. So right now's a great time to shop overall!
I wonder what notably, vibe this sale will carry compared to earlier ones? With inflation concerns still lingering, would buyers be warehousing essentials rather than splurging this year?
Plus, I’m kind of curious about Amazon pulling exclusive membership perks—that could play into buying decisions significantly. Extra savings might sweeten the deal?
There’s another angle here—think about how online shopping behavior has shifted post-2020. It’s significant Amazon rolled out early deals! It shows they’re adapting to consumers wanting more bite-sized offers instead of waiting for massive blowouts.
Finally, considering also how some shoppers might find alternate paths through retailers not requiring memberships could shift loyalty slightly away from Amazon. If those alternatives snatch our attention, where does that leave Prime's appeal?

The post Amazon Prime Day is October 7-8: Everything you need to know about October Prime Day first appeared on www.zdnet.com

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