When is Amazon Prime Day 2024? Here’s what time the shopping extravaganza starts tomorrow

With summer’s arrival, shoppers are starting to wonder: When is Amazon Prime Day 2024? The highly anticipated sales extravaganza, set for July 16 and July 17, promises some of the best prices of the year. We’ve got all the information you need to get ready for the major shopping event below, including how to get a 50% discount on Prime membership.

When is Amazon Prime Day 2024?

This year, Prime Day is slated to take place tomorrow, Tuesday, July 16 and Wednesday, July 17, 2024. Anticipation is building for yet another spectacular shopping event.

These dates align with past years, as Amazon Prime Day has historically taken place during the second week of July.

If you’re looking to stay abreast of the ins and outs of Prime Day, be sure to stay tuned to CBS Essentials for all major news and deals. You can also learn more via our explainer: What Is Amazon Prime Day?

Is Amazon Prime still worth paying for? 

Yes — in most cases, the net benefits outweigh the cost, especially if you catch a deal on a Prime membership. Currently, Amazon is offering 50% off for three months of Prime at just $7.50 per month, which typically costs $15 monthly. (Note that some shoppers are seeing a different introductory offer.)

If you’re still not sure, we’ve broken down the biggest benefits below, and how often you’ll need to use them to make the monthly cost worth your while.

Free shipping and fast delivery 

If you order products from Amazon multiple times per month, that alone is worth keeping your Prime membership. The only other way you can get free shipping on Amazon is if your orders total more than $35. Otherwise, you have to pay $6.99 for standard shipping (prices by zip code may vary). 

Conversely, if you place three orders per month at less than $35 per order, the cost of shipping without Prime ($7 base) amounts to more than the monthly cost of Prime with ad-free Prime Video ($18). 

Even if your monthly orders equate to more than $35 (qualifying for free shipping without Prime), the one-, two-, and even same-day delivery you get with Prime is worth it. You won’t find faster shipping times with most other retailers. 

The upshot: If you rely on Amazon often for everyday buys or bargains, such as discounted household essentials, or if you just love the convenience of getting your orders fast, keep Prime.

Grocery delivery with Whole Foods

Amazon owns Whole Foods, so your Prime membership includes perks that can be used at the grocery chain. Prime offers you some discounts at the store, but the main draw is grocery delivery. You can only do Whole Foods grocery delivery if you have a Prime account. If Whole Foods is your go-to grocery store, and you do grocery delivery often, especially weekly, your Amazon Prime account is worth it. 

Prescription benefits

Amazon’s Rx Pass allows you to get select medications for a flat fee of $5 per month. With Prime, you also can get two-day free shipping for prescriptions bought through Amazon Pharmacy, which beats having to wait in line at the IRL pharmacy for 20 minutes. Plus, with Prime, you can compare prescription prices between more than 60,000 pharmacies, which may save you up to 80% off on your medication. If you rely on these kinds of discounts to save on pricier prescriptions, it is worth it to keep Amazon Prime. 

Prime Day deals

If you shop Amazon’s Prime Days every year, keep your membership. Prime Day’s discounts are exclusive to Prime members. This is Amazon’s biggest sales event, ensuring some of the best discounts the site advertises all year. Not only that, but Prime members get exclusive discounts daily on the site, as well as 30-minute early access to Lightning Deals (these deals can last between 30 minutes to an entire day). The amount of money you save on these deals could easily equal to (or exceed) the cost of your monthly Amazon Prime membership. 

If you don’t have a Prime membership, Amazon is currently offering a limited deal. Right now, you can get 3 months of Prime for just $7.50 per month. After 3 months, it will renew at the regular monthly price of $15 unless you cancel. (Note that some shoppers are seeing a different introductory offer.)

Is Prime Video still worth it? 

We think yes. If you didn’t know, Prime Video now includes ads, and the only way to opt out of (most) commercials is by paying an additional $2.99 fee per month. Opting to pay the extra fee would bring Amazon Prime to nearly $18 per month. Although any price increase is inconvenient, we think paying the extra fee may be worth it for some users. 

Prime Video members get access to tens of thousands of movies and TV shows, including popular Amazon Originals TV shows, such as “The Summer I Turned Pretty” as well as the Emmy-winning “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and “Fleabag”. You can also stream Oscar-nominated movies, including “Manchester By The Sea” and “Sound Of Metal”. 

Plus, compared to other popular streaming services with ad-free options, including Netflix (from $15.49 to $22.99 per month) and Hulu ($17.99 per month), Prime Video without ads ($17.98) offers comparable. 

If you want to go ad-free, you can make that change within the account settings of your Prime Account or the Prime Video app found on Fire TVs, smart TVs, game consoles and set-top boxes. Ad-free, however, doesn’t include trailers that run before a movie or TV show (you can skip them), nor does it exclude ads from live events, including sports, whatever you’re watching on Amazon Freevee or a third-party streaming service that you add to your Amazon account (that isn’t an ad-free subscription). 

Amazon hasn’t outlined on their site exactly how many ads you can expect if you opt out of ad-free, but they said you can expect them before and during playback. The Wall Street Journal reports the average ad load per hour is expected to be between two and three-and-half minutes.

If you’re vehemently against ads and someone who uses their Prime Video weekly to find movies and TV shows to watch, it’s worth it to keep the streaming service and upgrade to ad-free. But if the extra $2.99 for Prime Video Ad Free will set you back — which is understandable if you subscribe to multiple streaming services that can cost upwards of $45 or more monthly — consider keeping the streaming services with ads and see how you adjust. 

People who only access Prime Video one or two times per month may find that they can live without it. If there’s a specific series or some movies you want to watch on Prime, you can always get the streaming service to watch it and then cancel afterward.

Thinking about becoming a Prime member? We’ve got all your Prime Day 2024 answers covered — plus early Amazon deals you can snag right now on home, fitness gear, tech and more.

Best early Prime Day deals to shop now

Prime Day 2024 may not officially start until tomorrow, but there are some serious early Amazon Prime Day deals to shop today. Here are our top deal picks, selected by the shopping experts at CBS Essentials.

Apple Watch Series 9: $299 and up (25% off)

The current model Apple Watch Series 9 is the most popular smartwatch in the world. It’s designed to work in conjunction with an Apple iPhone, but if you invest in the GPS-plus-cellular version of the watch, it can work autonomously, too. This means that even without your phone nearby, you can use the watch for calls, texts, music streaming and even talking to Siri.

Apple Watch is designed to do it all — help you communicate, stream music, stay up-to-date on the news, serve as a fitness tracker and health monitoring device, help you stay productive, call for help in an emergency, play games, display your favorite photos and so much more.

Ahead of Prime Day 2024, Amazon is offering generous discounts on various configurations of the Apple Watch 9, including the 41mm, GPS only version that comes with an Apple Sport Band that’s been discounted by $100, so you’ll pay just $299 for it.

Upgrade to the 45mm Apple Watch starting at just $329.

Apple AirPods (2nd generation): $80 (38% off)

The second-generation Apple AirPods may not be the latest model, but they’re still one of the most sought-after earbuds on the market. These are some of the most versatile earbuds you can buy if you’re a regular iOS user. But beyond that, these are great earbuds that are perfect for tossing in your bag and heading out into the world. They just connect when you need them. There’s no frustrating need to pair them. 

These 4.7-star-rated earbuds boast more than 24 hours of total listening time with the wireless charging case, fool-proof one-tap setup for Apple device owners and a low-latency wireless connection for full immersion when consuming movies and music.  If you need an everyday set of earbuds that look and feel premium, these are a great and affordable option. 

Why we like the Apple AirPods (2nd Generation):

• Their clear and high-quality sound makes for immersive listening. 
• They feature a one-tap setup and intuitive controls for better convenience. 
• They have an impressive battery life of over 24 hours with the charging case, and quick charging for on-the-go.

Apple AirTags: $25 each (or $89 for four)

These reliable trackers send out Bluetooth signals meant to be detected by other devices  (anonymously) that pop up via Apple’s “Find My” map. They use the entire worldwide network of connected iOS devices to help you find anything you’ve misplaced. So that means you can locate them, whether in your luggage, briefcase, bag or tucked away in a pocket, using your iPhone. You can use the phone’s “Precision Finding” feature to locate the item your tracker is attached to.

Thanks to their long-lasting battery, you can leave Apple AirTags connected to your belongings for up to one year. They’re also water-resistant in case you happen to get caught in the rain while carrying one.

Regularly $30 each, you can find them on Amazon now for $24 ahead of Prime Day.

iRobot Roomba Vac Essential robot vacuum: $189 (24% off)

Featuring a three-stage cleaning system, the iRobot Roomba Vac Essential robot vacuum can handle carpets and hard surface floors like a pro. The robot vacuum also has three levels of suction power, so you can choose between a more thorough clean and quiet operation.

We like that the iRobot Roomba Vac Essential can be scheduled to clean automatically in neat rows, or can start cleaning via Alexa voice commands. There’s also a spot-cleaning setting where the robot will spin in place for up to two minutes.

It cleans for up to 120 minutes on a single charge and automatically returns to its base when its battery is low. The vacuum will alert you when its filter or brushes need replacing.

Regularly $250, you can get this budget robot vacuum for just $189 at Amazon now ahead of Amazon Prime Day 2024.

Shark AI Ultra voice control robot vacuum: $300 (save 51%)

This powerful robot vacuum is an expert at lifting dirt from a variety of floor types, from carpets to hard floors. Thanks to its self-cleaning brush roll, it can power through hair, debris, pet hair, and other nastiness with the greatest of ease.

It cleans in a grid pattern that takes multiple passes over the dirtier parts of your home so you get a deep clean. It can map your home using 360-degree LiDAR vision as well, so it knows where it should be headed and avoids obstacles all on its own.

Plus, when it’s full, this vacuum empties itself back at its base, where it can hold up to 60 days of detritus. Its bagless base means no pricey add-ons, either. All you have to do is empty the reservoir when it’s full.

Set a cleaning schedule, tell your vacuum to clean on command, or adjust settings with the robot’s voice control options. It works with Alexa and Google Assistant for quick setup, so it’s good to go when you’re ready to issue commands.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite: $250 (save 24%)

Looking for a budget-friendly Android tablet that doesn’t compromise on quality? The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is a compelling choice. It offers a great balance of features and value, and it’s on sale for an attractive price right now.

It features a vibrant 10.4-inch touchscreen display and runs on the Android 12 operating system. With an impressive battery life of up to 15 hours on a single charge, you can use it for long periods without worrying about constantly recharging.

It works with the Google Play Store, so you can use any app your heart desires (if it’s available there) and comes with the included Samsung S Pen stylus that lets you take notes, sketch or navigate the device instead of using your fingertips.

Keurig K-Mini coffee maker: $60 (40% off)

If you’re running out of counter space in your kitchen, adding a new appliance can be difficult. But you probably won’t have that problem with the Keurig K-Mini — this single-serve pod coffee maker measures just 4.5 inches wide, 12.1 inches tall and 11.3 inches deep. It brews up to 12 ounces of coffee in just minutes.

This 4.5-star-rated Amazon bestseller is available in six colors.

Rockland Melbourne 20-inch expandable carry-on: $65 (53% off) 

The Rockland Melbourne 20-inch expandable carry-on spinner is made out of ABS, a lightweight and durable plastic. It features multidirectional double spinner wheels with telescoping handles, along with interior zip and mesh pockets. Choose from multiple colors. Price varies by color. Right now, you’ll get the best deal on the carry-on in the shade purple, it’s currently 53% off. 

“I was able to fit a lot more than I thought in this little suitcase,” an Amazon reviewer shares. “It’s easy to maneuver and even with the extension added to it it’s small enough to fit airplanes’ carry-on requirements.” 

It usually sells for $140, but right now you can buy this carry-on for just $65.

Why we like the Rockland Melbourne 20-inch carry-on:

• The carry-on meets size restrictions for most major airlines, including United, American, Delta, Southwest and Allegiant.
• It earned a 4.5-star rating on Amazon with more than 8,500 reviews.
• The ergonomic handle and seamless spinner wheels make it easy to maneuver.

Govee Smart LED strip lights: $19 (save $6)

Don’t want to install lighting for your TV, or want to get more creative with where you place your lights? Get a strip of them instead. This smart LED light strip can go wherever you’d like to put it, and it comes in a variety of lengths, starting at 16.4 feet.

Control your Govee LED strip lights with the accompanying app or with your voice to customize their behavior. They can sync with your favorite songs thanks to their built-in microphone, and they’ll “dance” along to the beat without you having to program them to do so.

With more than 150 LED lights, there are plenty in each strip to illuminate a small or large room, so these lights are perfect to put up just about anywhere you want to liven up a bit.

Right now, you can clip the on-page coupon to get $6 off your strip lights. You’ll see the discount applied automatically when you check out.