When it comes to online shopping, Amazon promises its Prime Day is the closest consumers will get to Christmas in July.
The company introduced the promotion last year in a bid to drum up sales during the slow summer months. But the 2015 deals drew a lot of criticism from unimpressed consumers.
This year, the retail giant says it will offer broader, more accessible sales. Here’s what you need to know to get in on the promotion, which takes place tomorrow:
1. It’s only open to Prime members. In order to access the more than 100,000 deals the retailer is promising to make available, you’ll need to be a member of Amazon prime. Annual membership, which includes free two-day shipping and access to the company’s music and video streaming services, costs $99. About half of Americans are currently members, but if you aren’t in that group you can sign up for a free 30-day trial of the program to get in on the deals.
Related: Will Amazon’s Prime Day be Better in 2016?
2. Expect big deals on televisions and toys. Among all the categories Amazon is promoting, its especially touting the selection of deals on TV sets and toys. Amazon says its television inventory on sale tomorrow will be nearly twice the size of its inventory for sale on both Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined.
3. Other retailers are also competing for your attention. Retailers like Best Buy, Target and Walmart will also be offering big discounts tomorrow in an effort to lure away consumers who are in a spending mood. Walmart says it will be offering a range of sales on electronics — and that customers can get free shipping with no minimum purchase required on more than a million items all week long. So as always, shop around before clicking to buy.
