Ask an Expert: Is Prime Day Only for Prime Members?

Hello, deal-seekers! We're back with a new dilemma, and this one is timely, given it's related to Amazon's Prime Day event and whether Prime Day offers are only for Prime members. Check out our latest "Ask an Expert" column below to get all the details, plus our advice on how to navigate the reader's issue.

Is Amazon Prime Day Only for Prime Members?

The Dilemma

Dear Ask an Expert,

I've heard that the Prime Day sale on Amazon has some good deals, but I'm not a Prime member and I'm not thrilled about spending the money required to be one. Can I still shop the Prime Day sale? What are my options?

Signed,

Primeless Person

Our Advice

Plenty of people are facing this Prime-membership dilemma, especially given that Amazon Prime prices have increased recently. But as the moniker would suggest, Prime Day is only for those who hold a Prime membership. You can still shop Amazon on Prime Day if you're not a member — just don't expect to have access to the Prime Day deals.

Wondering how to become an Amazon Prime member without paying the full membership price? The good news is that Prime membership deals are available. For example, you could sign up for a free trial for 30 days. Prime Day is happening July 12-13 in 2022, so you'd need to access your free trial by then.

Even if none of those deal options work out, simply opting for a month of Prime is on the table. You'd pay $14.99, unless you qualify for a student discount or government assistance rate, but the cost could still be worth it. You'd just have to plan to purchase enough on Prime Day to offset the cost of one month of the membership — and remember to cancel before you're billed for another month!

Which Other Stores Have Sales on Prime Day?

While Amazon may have started the craze of big shopping holidays during the summer, they're hardly the only game in town these days. Plenty of other retailers offer competing sales, and the benefit of those is they're open to all shoppers, not just members of a particular program.

SEE ALSO: Ask an Expert: When Can I Expect a Price Drop on the TV I Want?

For instance, Target will be hosting its own event called Target Deal Days from July 11-13 this year. It will feature savings on several store brands, as well as big names like Apple and Disney.

Don't expect the bull's-eye retailer to be the only store with an overlapping sale either. We wouldn't be surprised if Best Buy had another Bigger Deal Savings Event as a Prime Day alternative, just like they did last year. We don't know the exact dates for a 2022 sale yet, but we'd expect it to take place roughly around the same time as Prime Day. It's another sale that should be open to all shoppers, but there's a chance that My Best Buy members could get early access to some deals.

Have a question for our experts? Submit it to askanexpert@dealnews.com, and we might just answer it!