Amazon Prime Day Deals & Scams To Look Out For
MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- Amazon Prime Day kicks off Monday with 48 hours of deals for prime members. So what are some of the hottest buys during this high profile shopping event which runs for 48 hours.
Similar to previous Prime Days, Amazon is slashing prices and offering more than one million deals as a way to drum-up spending during a typically slow summer sales period. Amazon also wants to drive people to subscribe to its Prime membership service.
Unsurprisingly, Amazon is emphasizing the deep discounts on its own gadgets and in-house brands in its deals preview, which it released Friday.
For example, an Amazon Echo cost $49.99, which the company claims is half off its normal price of $99.99. But the discount is not as drastic as it might appear: The smart speaker is selling for $69.99.
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The better deal is the Echo Show, its smart speaker with a screen and premium speakers. That cost $159.99 — $70 off its current list price of $229.99.
Other Amazon gadgets on sale include the Fire TV Stick with Alexa for $14.99 and the Fire TV Cube for $69.99. That's $50 less than its regular price of $119.99.
Amazon Fire tablets are also reduced. It's most advanced version, the Fire HD 10, cost $99.99 — $50 less than the regular price of $149.99.
These prices are similar to the deals Amazon offered on Black Friday of last year.
Amazon is discounting its in-house line of products, which is rapidly expanding. Men's and women's clothing from Amazon's lines like Goodthreads and Amazon Essentials, are up to 50% off. Its home goods brands, such as Presto! and Solimo, are up to 30% off.
It's AmazonBasics brand, which encompasses everything from kitchenware to small electronics, is up to 30% off.
Amazon is emphasizing its new Lady Gaga makeup brand, HAUS Laboratories. Prime members are able to pre-order her new products for the first time.
But there are several name brands on sale, too. Some Under Armour clothing are 40% off, Lacoste clothing is as much as 30% off and Eddie Bauer clothing is as much as 60% off.
Electronics that aren't from Amazon will also be discounted. For example, some Sony LED Smart TVs are half off, Facebook's Portal device is $79 (It usually runs for $199) and the Nintendo Switch is also being discounted.
Amazon's biggest rivals are also offering Prime Day-like discounts on their websites. Target is mimicking the idea with "Deal Days," a two-day event featuring similar deals. eBay has also rolled out sales for the entire month of July.
It's not a surprise that other retailers want to chip away at Amazon on Prime Day. Although the company doesn't disclose revenue from previous Prime Days, Amazon said last year's sale was its "biggest global shopping event ever."
The surge in internet traffic however is also likely to attract scammers looking to steal personal information. To avoid spoofed sites, experts advise to access Amazon.com directly. Shoppers should also be wary of emails including coupons promising steep prime day discounts, and scams involving Amazon gift cards
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