Amazon just confirmed another Prime Day — but some deals are already starting

Amazon's fall shopping event is officially returning in October, but shoppers don't necessarily have to wait until then to start finding discounts.

Amazon has confirmed that Prime Big Deal Days will return on October 6 and 7, 2026, giving Prime members another two-day shopping event before the holiday season gets into full swing.

The event is often described by shoppers as a second or “October Prime Day,” but there is one important detail worth knowing: some of the discounts have already started.

Amazon is currently promoting early savings on several parts of its store, meaning bargain hunters who know what they want may not need to wait another three weeks before checking prices.

The big sale starts October 6

Prime Big Deal Days officially begins at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time on October 6 and runs for 48 hours.

Amazon says shoppers can expect deals across more than 35 categories, including technology, home products, kitchen items, fashion, beauty, seasonal products and everyday essentials.

The timing places it directly at the start of the holiday-shopping season, when households are beginning to think about gifts, Halloween, fall entertaining and end-of-year spending.

Amazon is also planning to release some offers throughout the event rather than making every deal available at once. Its new “Today's Big Deals” offers are scheduled to drop three times each day — at midnight, 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Pacific Time — with limited-time discounts across tech, kitchen, beauty, home and fashion.

So someone checking Amazon once on the morning of October 6 could potentially see a different selection later that same day.

But the early deals have already begun

Amazon says Prime members can already find early deals ahead of the official event. Current promotions include discounts on Amazon devices, Kindle-related offers, Amazon Haul products and Amazon Music.

Some of the early offers highlighted by Amazon include discounts of up to 45% on selected Amazon devices and bundles and up to 70% on certain Blink bundles. Amazon Haul is also advertising seasonal products starting at $1, while selected game-day products are being promoted at discounts of up to 50%.

Deal publications are already spotting discounts outside Amazon's own devices as well. Tom's Guide, for example, is tracking current savings across categories such as Apple products, TVs, appliances, running shoes and electronics ahead of the October event.

That does not necessarily mean today's price will be the lowest price available in October. It simply means shoppers who were already planning to buy something should start watching prices now instead of assuming every worthwhile discount will suddenly appear on October 6.

One new feature could make checking prices easier

Amazon says Alexa for Shopping can now help users create deal alerts, monitor items on saved lists and check historical pricing. On supported products, shoppers can access up to 365 days of price history.

A large discount percentage does not always tell you whether an item is actually at its best recent price. Looking at previous pricing can provide more context before clicking “Buy Now.” Amazon also says customers can set a target price for selected products and receive an alert if the price drops to that level.

What kinds of products will be included?

Amazon is positioning the event around both normal household purchases and early holiday shopping. The company says shoppers should expect offers involving:

• Electronics and Amazon devices
• Kitchen products and appliances
• Home décor and seasonal items
• Toys and gifts
• Clothing and beauty products
• Groceries and entertaining essentials
• Halloween supplies

Some grocery promotions are also expected, including selected same-day delivery deals in eligible areas. For shoppers trying to stretch their budgets, this could make the event more useful than a sale focused only on expensive electronics.

You will need Prime for the main event

The headline Prime Big Deal Days offers are primarily intended for Amazon Prime members. Amazon currently lists standard Prime membership in the United States at $14.99 per month or $139 per year, while eligible new customers may be able to use a free trial. Discounted membership options are also available to certain qualifying groups.

Anyone considering joining solely for the event should therefore compare the membership cost against the amount they actually expect to save. Buying a $25 item simply because it is discounted probably will not justify paying for a membership you otherwise would not use.

How to shop the sale without overspending

Big sale events create urgency, and that can make it surprisingly easy to buy things you never intended to purchase. A better approach is to make a short list now of products you genuinely need and note their current prices, then check those same products when the official event begins.

That makes it much easier to tell the difference between “this is genuinely cheaper than before” and “Amazon is telling me this is a deal.”

The same rule applies to early offers. If something you already planned to buy falls to a price you're comfortable with before October 6, waiting purely because a larger sale is coming carries its own risk. Prices can fall further — but popular products can also sell out.

The bottom line

Amazon's next major US shopping event is officially set for October 6–7, with millions of Prime-member deals expected across dozens of categories. But unlike a sale where shoppers simply wait for a starting bell, the discount cycle has already begun.

Early offers are live now, more deals are expected to appear as October approaches, and additional limited-time drops will arrive throughout the 48-hour event. For shoppers, that means the smartest move may not be buying immediately. It may simply be starting to watch prices now.