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It’s that time of year when one retail event seems to follow another, all vying to get your attention — and your money — in the run-up to the holiday season. Amazon’s Prime Day event comes in two parts, first in the summer during mid-July and a second in October every year with both events now lasting for 48 hours. Black Friday is always the Friday after Thanksgiving — so this year’s event falls on Friday November 29, 2024.
What is the difference between Prime Day and Black Friday?
The major difference between the two retail sales events is that Prime Day is Amazon’s own sale, specifically for its Prime subscribers, and is held only on Amazon itself. Black Friday, on the other hand, is an event for everyone, and almost all the large retailers take part in it.
Of course, some brands and retailers also jump on the Prime Day train and launch their own competing discounts on the days of the Prime sale in order to try and catch some extra customers who don’t find what they need on Amazon. Some of those deals even out-compete Amazon Prime Day deals themselves, which we saw again in October 2024. However, the vast majority will wait until the Black Friday period to launch their sales.
Does Amazon do Prime Day and Black Friday sales?
(Image credit: Ollinka/Shutterstock.com)
It certainly does. For a start, Prime Day sales are for Prime customers, whereas on Black Friday Amazon itself includes a vast array of deals available for everyone, whether or not they subscribe.
It’s impossible to predict in advance whether the discounts on Amazon itself will be the same on both days, but generally, both October’s Prime Day and November’s Black Friday involve some big discounts on much-wanted items like cameras, fitness trackers, telescopes and even Apple products like Apple Watches and iPads.
The main advantage of waiting until Black Friday is that because so many retailers are participating, the competition between them to get your dollars means they will often try to outdo each other — or at least match each other’s prices. So you can end up with a greater choice of retailers and potentially some even better deals.
When should I wait for Prime Day or Black Friday?
(Image credit: Getty Images)
One factor you might want to consider is the wider calendar that product releases tend to conform to. Apple, for instance, tends to release its new iPhone models in the fall, which means previous versions get a price drop in time for both Prime Day and Black Friday.
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By contrast, if you are looking to buy other new science technology, then you should bear in mind that many new models tend to be released or announced in January alongside big trade shows like the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). This in turn means that, by the time Black Friday rolls around, retailers are keen to shift their stock of the current models in order to make space for new ones. Of course, it’s still perfectly possible to get a good deal on some TVs at Prime Day, but generally, there won’t be as many on offer.
What should I buy on Prime Day?
Generally, the best things to buy on October’s Prime Days are things that will have run out of stock by the time Black Friday comes around. That will often include things like previous iPhone models, or older (but still excellent) stock of large items like telescopes, rowing machines or treadmills.
Prime Day also has good deals on everyday essentials and Amazon staples — for example, air purifiers, fitness trackers and associated peripherals like spare HEPA filters and replacement wrist straps — but generally, it’s considered to be best for those big-ticket electronic items.
However, Black Friday isn’t just about science and technology — you’ll find retailers offering great deals on pretty much everything from furniture to makeup, clothing to stationery. Black Friday is an opportunity for retailers to capture your attention in the run-up to the festive period, and pretty much every sector now takes part. The sheer volume of sales will mean you are likely to find some good deals on everything from a new pair of running shoes to the best air purifier on the market.
Kate Carter is an experienced journalist who worked for the Guardian for a decade before going freelance. She writes for the Guardian, Runners World, and World Athletics amongst many other publications, and presents for The Running Channel. She is also a sub three hour marathon runner and an England Athletics coach.
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