It’s finally here! If you’re an Amazon Prime customer, you’re probably all set to get on the app and hunt down for the best deals, on Prime Day.

Here’s the good news: for the first time, your Prime Day shopping experience gets to last a whole 36 hours, will witness 200 exclusive launches, and involve deals applicable to customers from other countries.

What’s the not-so-good news? You’re going to have to wade through an ocean of discount percentages, brands, offers and conditions if you need to land the best deals. Let’s also be clear: not every deal is a blockbuster one. So, here’s how you get bang for your buck.

GO BIG, OR GO HOME

Let’s face it. A big sale is the best time to make those big buys. These buys are probably going to be that home appliance you’ve been saving up for. So, decide. Make lists. Figure out what you need at the moment, and match that list to what’s on offer. If you’re looking for a TV in the bedroom to go with a brand new one for the living room, the Prime Day Special Deal could be what you’re looking for. So, buy a TCL 55-inch 4k Smart TV, and get a TCL 32-inch one for just one rupee.

Speaking of sprucing up the home, air-conditioners from brands like Voltas, LG, Samsung and Hitachi, come with discounts of up to 40%. Kitchen chimneys wear a similar discount, while washing machines wear their discount tag at up to 20% off. Is that list ready yet?

IT’S IN THE FINE PRINT

One amateur mistake that most shoppers make, is misread the fine print. We’re not even talking ‘conditions apply’, but something as simple as ‘upto’ versus ‘minimum’.

If a budget is your priority on Prime Day, and if all you’re looking for are value-for-money deals, steer clear of discount labels that say ‘upto’, and look for the ones that say ‘minimum’ or ‘flat’. Minimum discounts ensure that your discount starts from that percentage, so you have no chance of being short-changed.

There’s a minimum 60 percent off on products from United Colors of Benetton, Lee and a couple of more apparel labels, while Adidas, UCB and Red Tape have also slashed prices of their men’s shoes by a minimum of 50 percent on Amazon Prime. Don’t miss the flat 50 percent off that comes with Bose and Sennheisser headphones. Similarly, a whole bunch of books are available from discounts starting at 60 percent and gaming consoles available with discounts starting at 2,000 rupees off. There’s a flat 25 percent off on the Kindle Paperwhite WiFi, and a 30 percent discount for an Amazon TV Firestick.

GO INTERNATIONAL

For only the first time, Indian Prime customers will be allowed to avail international deals. Fair warning though: you might have to wait until midnight to avail these discounts, and there’s no assurance of a clear saving. For instance, Tommy Hilfiger apparel and accessories wear discounts of up to 40 percent, while Invicta watches come at discounts of up to 60 percent. Seagate hard drives and Sandisk storage devices too, wear discounts of up to 30 percent. So, remember there’s no flat discount here, and ensure you’re clear about how much you’re saving.

IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT DISCOUNTS

Admittedly, Prime Day isn’t only all discounts. Amazon has said in the past that it hopes to use the platform to launch new product ranges. And that’s probably why, for the first time, Indian customers get to shop for the OnePlus 6 Red — for Rs 39,999. Also for the first time, you will be able to shop for Calvin Klein’s range of sportswear, Calvin Klein Performance. Not to be left out, Amazon is using the Prime Day platform in India, to launch its own men’s apparel brand, Arthur Harvey.

Brands like Bosch, Godrej, LG and Whirlpool will launch brand-new washing machines, microwave ovens and refrigerators, while brands like Louis Philippe, Marks & Spencer and American Tourister have also lined up brand-new apparel and accessory launches.

So make the most of all 36 hours of 2018's highly anticipated Amazon Prime Day. Happy shopping!

First Published:Jul 16, 2018 12:00 PM IST