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Looking for the best deals on Amazon Prime Day 2021?

Experts say Prime Day is designed to make you purchase impulse buys. Be selective and plan out what you want to buy and how much you want to spend.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The clock is ticking toward Prime Day 2021, that's Amazon's two-day shopping event that's very similar to Black Friday and Thanksgiving week. 

So what do you need to know if you're doing some shopping? 

First, if you need the item, then you're going to save money. Think of it as Christmas in summer, or better yet, an excuse to spend money on things you don't need just because they're on sale. 

So what’s out there? And should you wait for a potentially better deal or shop now?

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Amazon basically created their own holiday six years ago, and Prime Day has gotten so big it's now a two-day event. In 2019, millions of shoppers brought 175 million items in 18 different countries. Even at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, Prime Day sales hit $10.4 billion worldwide

“But what it is doing is churning up the hype with a lot of early deals and promos,” said Kristin McGrath, an editor at Offers.com and the Real Deal Blog at RetailMeNot

McGrath said Amazon is going to throw a lot at you. Their approach is to overload and overwhelm shoppers. So how do you shop calmly and keep your spending in check? Is it even possible?

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“Prime Day is really designed for making you make that impulse buy, when you go there and check out the deals, things are going to be flying at you. There will be countdown clocks on items," McGrath said. "So the best way to cut through that noise is to take the entire week before, think about what you really want, like if it’s headphones, think options so you can go in and get the best price." 

And don’t get tunnel vision with just shopping on Amazon. Walmart is running its "Deal for Days" special June 20-23. Target is also jumping back in from June 20-22. Other major retailers with deals are Best Buy, Home Depot, Kohl's and Old Navy. And by next week, other stores will join the fray. It won't be hard to find sales on countertop appliances like air fryers, TVs, electronics, gaming and anything else tech. 

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“We are the ones that benefit from all this competition," McGrath said. "Yes, the consumer wins during all this because for Prime Day, you have to be an Amazon member to get the deals and that fast, free shipping."  

That used to be the case, but now the others will ship next-day, or two-day, and over certain amounts it’s free. If you are going to jump in, look at their credit deals. For example, Amazon offers 6% cashback when you pay with their Prime card online. It's 5% the rest of the time. If you shop on Amazon a lot, it's worth investigating. 

Contact Bill McGinty at bmcginty@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook.

WCNC Charlotte is always asking "where's the money?" If you need help, reach out to the Defenders team by emailing money@wcnc.com.

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