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Best Deals at Amazon Spring Sale

How to save the most money at Amazon’s spring sale

By

Beth Braverman,

 
AARP
Comments
Published March 21, 2024
A collage featuring the kinds of goods on sale via Amazon
AARP (Source: Getty Images (5))

When it comes to shopping, March has historically been a “deal drought,” a quieter month in which there tend to be fewer big sales. But Amazon aims to change that this year with the launch of its first-ever Amazon Spring Sale event in the United States.

“This time of year, there aren’t a ton of big shopping holidays, so having this is a nice opportunity to save,” says Meg Lappe, senior editorial commerce director at The Spruce.

Unlike Amazon’s Prime days, which typically take place in the summer and fall, the Spring Sale is open to all customers, including those who don’t pay the $139 annual fee for Prime membership (although Prime members will have access to additional savings offers). Unlike Prime Day events, which usually last one to two days, the Amazon Spring Sale is nearly a full week long, running from March 20 through March 25.

“We’re getting quite a bit more shopping time with this sale than we’re used to with other Prime events,” says Julie Ramhold, a senior staff writer and consumer analyst at DealNews.

Consumers will see up to 50 percent off some beauty, sports and outdoor products, and up to 40 percent off home products, spring apparel and electronics. The site will reveal new deals each day of the event; you can find them by visiting Amazon.com and clicking on the “Big Spring Sale” banner on the top of the page.

How to make the most of the sale

1. Make a list before you log on

To avoid overspending or succumbing to impulse buys, create a list of products you need before you go on Amazon’s website or app.

“It’s easier to stick to a budget if you have a list and know which products you’re looking to buy,” Lappe says. “There are tons of products on sale, so it’s easy to fill your cart with way more things than you initially set out to buy.”

2. Focus on Amazon-branded items and home goods

While there are thousands of items on sale for the Big Spring Sale, Amazon is not offering blanket, sitewide discounts. For the biggest savings, look for products like cookware and decor, adds Lappe.

“Whereas with Black Friday and Prime Day, we tend to see everything go on sale to some degree, there seems to be a bigger push in this sale toward home items,” Ramhold says.

Also, as with Prime Day events, you’ll likely find the greater savings on Amazon-branded items, from electronics like Echos and Kindles to Amazon Basics like clothing and office supplies.

3. Confirm you’re getting a deal

As with all Amazon sales, it can be helpful to put the prices you’re seeing in context to determine whether the current listing is actually offering you savings. You can use the CamelCamelCamel app to see the price history of specific products on Amazon, so you can tell whether it’s worth it to jump on a specific deal.

“It’s especially notable if the sale price matches or is close to the price we saw on Black Friday,” Ramhold says, “since that’s often the lowest price available over the past year.”

4. Check the competitors

Amazon’s competitors appear to have ramped up their deal offerings this week, hoping to take advantage of bargain seekers shopping online. Some highlights include:

  • Target’s Spring Sale is offering up to 50 percent off home and patio items this week, and 20 percent off spring clothing
  • Walmart’s Super Spring Savings Week offers discounts on everything from AirPods to mattresses. 
  • Wayfair’s Big Outdoor Sale has up to 40 percent off garden accents and up to 50 percent off outdoor rugs

5. Weigh the benefits of Prime membership

While there are some deals exclusive to Prime members, there are plenty of discounts during this event for those without a membership. Since you can get a one-month free trial membership just once every 12 months, you might consider waiting until the Prime Day events in July or October, because those will likely include a wider selection of larger discounts for Prime members.

If you’re not sure whether to sign up for Prime now or later, you can add the products to your cart. The site will let nonmembers know whether there’s a better price available to Prime members. “If it’s going to save you a few hundred dollars, or some significant amount, I might give it a go,” Lappe says.

If you do sign up for the free trial and don’t want to be a long-term member, make sure to write yourself a calendar notification to cancel the membership before payment is due in a month.

Beth Braverman is a contributing writer who has covered shopping and personal finance for more than a decade. Her work has appeared in Consumer Reports, CNNMoney.com, CNBC.com, and dozens of other outlets.

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