We are expecting Amazon's Big Smile Sale later this month, but even on a normal week, discounts easily fill this page with loads of deals we think are great buys, and there's always plenty to choose from.
That's why we created this guide: to simplify the process and help you discover the top offers on Amazon. Unlike big sales like Prime Day, which are often Prime member-exclusive, the majority of regular Amazon discounts are open to the public. This means you can save without spending the AU$9.99 for a membership.
Useful Amazon links
- Amazon Best Sellers: see what everyone else is buying
- Amazon Prime: get 30 days free (then AU$9.99 p/m)
- Amazon devices: save on Kindles, Echos, Fire TV Sticks and Ring
- Lightning deals: hurry – limited time offers on limited stocks
- Deals ending tonight: offers ending at midnight each day
- Bestsellers in electronics: Amazon devices, chargers, batteries & more
- Audible: 30 days free (then AU$16.45 p/m)
- Music Unlimited: 30 days free (then AU$13.99 p/m)
- Kindle Unlimited: 3 months for AU$1.99 (then AU$13.99 p/m)
- Amazon gift cards
- Amazon voucher hub
Want to save even more? Check out TechRadar's Amazon coupon codes
The best Amazon deals this week
Power banks, chargers & cables
Headphones
Bluetooth speakers
Phones, tablets and accessories
Vacuum cleaners
Gaming hardware
Kitchen appliances
Amazon sales calendar
- Big Smile Sale: previously in March/April
- Mid-Year Sale: usually in early June
- Prime Day: typically held mid July
- Prime Big Deal Days: typically held in early October
- Black Friday: takes place in November
- Boxing Day: takes place in December
Shopping tips
1. Become a Prime member
While it might cost you a monthly (or annual) fee to be a Prime member, it's the best way to maximise your savings, particularly if you think you're going to be shopping on the platform regularly. If you're not a Prime member yet, you can sign up now for a 30-day free trial and, if you do so just before a big sale and cancel the subscription before the trial ends, you get the full benefits without having to pay anything extra, albeit for a short period of time.
Benefits include free and fast shipping, exclusive and early access to select deals, plus free subscriptions to some of Amazon's other services like Prime Video, Prime Reading and Prime Gaming. Find out more about this subscription service in our guide to what is Amazon Prime.
2. Use Amazon coupons
We've got a dedicated page that lists a lot of Amazon coupon codes to help you save on your next shop, but there are always select items on the site that have a little check box that you can tick to bring the price down a little. These coupons can save you anywhere from 5% to 20% off a particular item, and occasionally there's a specific amount of money that gets deducted (e.g. AU$5 off a AU$20 portable power bank), so keep an eye out for them when shopping on Amazon.
Note that when you use these little boxes, the discounted price will only appear when you finally check out – not when the item is sitting in your virtual cart.
3. Track your cart
If you aren't in a hurry to buy something specific, you can always add it to your cart and click "save for later". Amazon has a handy functionality that automatically lets you know if an item in your cart has had a price change.
4. Set up alerts
If you don't want to keep logging into Amazon to check your cart, you can use a site called camelcamelcamel.com to see an item's price history. You just have to copy and paste the URL of the Amazon item you're interested in into Camelcamelcamel's search bar and voila, you get the price history represented by an easy-to-understand graph.
Monitoring this manually, though, can be annoying, so the folks behind this tracking site have created a handy browser plug-in that you can install to receive email alerts when a specific item gets a discount. This is particularly useful during Amazon's big sales if you know what you're after.
5. Use Amazon's Subscribe & Save program
If there are certain products you know you will buy regularly, particular pantry staples and toiletries, you can use the Subscribe & Save feature on Amazon. This option shows up as the default offer when click on items like laundry detergents, coffee pods, nail colour, baby-care items and more, and it's possible to save as much as 15%, with free shipping already available for Prime members.
6. Check Amazon's daily deals
Amazon has a dedicated hub that lists hundreds of offers, called Today's Deals. It sits right on top of the page and, while it looks a little daunting to browse, there are filters you can use to narrow down your search if you know what you're after.
If you happen to use an Echo smart device, you can also use a simple voice command to find out what the day's offers are by saying, "Alexa, what are my deals?"
7. Browse overstocked items in the Amazon Outlet store
Amazon also has a dedicated section called the Outlet Store that stocks clearance items going cheap. It also houses overstocked new items too, and these usually have some significant discounts. From electronics to homewares, the Outlet Store can save you a pretty penny, but note that some items may come in a damaged box. If so, there will be a note on the product listing page about its condition.
8. Shop during the big sales
If you're not in a rush to buy something, particularly an expensive item, consider waiting till a big sale comes knocking. When we say big, we mean the Prime Day and Amazon Black Friday sales. This is when we see the biggest discounts of the year.
That said, there are usually a lot of good deals during Big Smile sale and the Mid-Year sale, so don't ignore those if you're keen on shopping through the year.
Amazon Big Smile Sale: FAQs
What is the Amazon Big Smile sale?
While it's not as big as Amazon Prime Day or Amazon's offering during Black Friday, the Amazon Big Smile Sale is one of Amazon's major sales of the year. You can expect a massive range of discounts across the best headphones, stick vacuums, earbuds, cheap phones and more, but the main discounts will likely focus on Amazon-owned products like Kindle, Ring and Echo. It typically takes place in late March or early April.
What days are the big Amazon sales?
Amazon has four exclusive sales throughout the year, while also taking part in the big general sales alongside Australia’s major retailers. These sales start in March (or early April) with the Big Smile Sale, while the Mid-Year sale is Amazon's alternative to Australian EOFY sales in June. Then there's Amazon Prime Day in July, which now occurs twice each year with Prime Day 2 – or Big Deal Days – landing in October.
And, while they aren't specific to Amazon, the Amazon Black Friday and Boxing Day sales are undoubtedly two of the best times to shop.
Does Amazon have an EOFY sale?
While Amazon doesn't take part in EOFY sales per se, the Amazon Mid-Year Sale lines up with the Australian End of Financial season.
What is Amazon's biggest sale?
While it's not an Amazon-exclusive sale, there's little doubt that Amazon's deal offerings during Black Friday are usually the best we see during the year – but its Prime Day deals are right up there. The Amazon Big Deal Days sale is also worth circling on your calendar. Note, many of the deals during these sales are exclusive to Prime members.
What is the biggest sale in the world?
Between Boxing Day and Black Friday, it's hard to say which is the bigger global shopping event. While Boxing Day is an event for countries within the Commonwealth, and Boxing Day has an American origin, both are great times to pick up basically anything from any retailer across the globe.
However, it's possible neither Boxing Day nor Black Friday sales hold the crown of the world's biggest sale. That title might belong to Singles Day, held on November 11. A massive event in China, it has recently gained traction globally – and may increase in popularity in 2025.
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