Amazon's October sale runs October 6–7. Here's how to tell a low price from a normal one with a countdown timer.
Amazon's fall sale, Prime Big Deal Days, runs October 6–7, 2026. Amazon says it starts at 12:01 a.m. PDT on October 6 and lasts 48 hours, with deals for Prime members only, and new “Today's Big Deals” added three times a day — at midnight, 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. PDT. (Amazon)
Two days of countdown timers and red percentages make it hard to tell a genuinely low price from a normal one in a costume. Here's a short routine to run before you buy, whether it's a TV, a vacuum or a box of detergent.
The single most useful thing you can do happens before October 6. Make a short list of what you were already planning to buy, then note what it costs right now at Amazon and at two or three other major retailers. Write down the exact model number too.
That gives you a baseline nobody can fudge. On sale day, a deal is only a deal if it beats the number on your list — not the number on Amazon's crossed-out price.
The bigger the gap between the “was” price and the sale price, the better a deal looks. But the reference price is the seller's number, and some are more meaningful than others.
So read the label next to the crossed-out price, then ignore the percentage and compare the sale price with what you wrote down in step 1.
For big-ticket items, the price history tells you more than the badge. Amazon says Alexa for Shopping can show price history and send deal alerts, and that you can set a target price on an item and get notified when it drops. (Amazon) Third-party trackers such as Keepa and camelcamelcamel are popular for the same job.
What you're looking for: is the sale price near the lowest the item has sold for in recent months, or somewhere in the middle? A “deal” that matches a price the item hits every few weeks isn't worth rushing for.
Other retailers often run their own sales around the same time, so check the same model number at the stores you trust before you assume Amazon is lowest. If another store is close, you may prefer its return policy, pickup or warranty.
Don't count on a price match to cover the gap, though. Best Buy lists Amazon as a qualified competitor, but its policy doesn't match membership-only prices or daily and hourly sales — which is how Prime-exclusive deals are sold. (Best Buy) Target and Walmart don't match Amazon at all. Our guide to which stores price match has the details.
The deals are for Prime members. Amazon lists Prime at $14.99 a month or $139 a year, with a free 30-day trial for people who are eligible. (Amazon) If you're not a member and not eligible for the trial, add the membership to the price: a deal that saves you $12 isn't a saving if you pay $14.99 to get it. If you start a trial just for the sale, set a reminder to cancel before it renews if you don't want to keep it.
Prime Big Deal Days isn't the last sale of the year — Black Friday and Cyber Monday follow in late November. If something on your list isn't at a price you're happy with, it's fine to wait. One timing note: Best Buy's policy excludes price matching from the Thursday before Thanksgiving through the Monday after. (Best Buy)
If the sale price beats what other major stores charged before the sale, it's the exact model you wanted, and you were going to buy it anyway, go ahead. If you're only tempted because a timer is counting down, skip it.
Price AI identifies the product from a photo or barcode, pulls current prices from major retailers, and gives you a Deal Score from 1–100 so you can see how a price compares before the sale clock runs out. When it can't identify something, it says so instead of guessing.
October 6 and 7, 2026 in the US. Amazon says the deals start at 12:01 a.m. PDT on October 6 and run for 48 hours, with new deals added three times a day. Dates can differ in other countries.
Yes. Amazon describes the event as Prime member-exclusive deals. Prime costs $14.99 a month or $139 a year, and Amazon offers a free 30-day trial to people who are eligible.
Usually not. Amazon is on Best Buy's list of qualified competitors, but Best Buy's policy excludes membership-only prices and daily or hourly sales, which is how most Prime-exclusive deals are sold. Check Best Buy's current policy before you ask.
Related: how to tell if a sale is actually a good deal, how long you have to return early holiday buys and which stores price match.
Price AI isn't affiliated with Amazon, Best Buy or any other retailer. Prime Big Deal Days and store names are trademarks of their owners.