
What to Buy (and Skip) on Prime Day, July 8-11
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Here's what to buy on Prime Day, the tariff edition. Think Amazon products, back-to-school tech and recurring essentials.
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5 min read
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investment
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June 30, 2025
07:39 PM
NerdWallet
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With Prime Day set for July 8-11 this year, you may be making a last-ditch effort to get good deals before prices go up
Tariffs — and the rising prices that could come with them — are top-of-mind for many consumers, according to the Conference Board’s June Consumer Confidence Index
But don’t panic buy. “Power buy” instead, says Katherine Black, partner at global management consulting firm Kearney who leads food, drug and mass market retail
By that, she means look at duct that could go up, buy what makes sense for your needs and budget and use the sale to get ahead of upcoming spending cycles
Here’s a short list of what to buy (and skip), some shopping tips and an idea of what a few of us Nerds are after this Prime Day
Buy: Back-to-school The Consumer Confidence report says buying plans for electronics are down, but you might want to rethink that
A power move for Prime Day is to target discounts on back-to-school-related stuff early, says Black
Your kids may not want notebooks and backpacks yet, but they’re bably down with getting a new laptop or Chromebook, if classes call for one
Put student-related headphones, smart watches, calculators and items Apple Air on your radar during the sale, too
Skip: Summer and outdoor goodsHold off on the summer-themed stuff for now, said Andrea Woroch, a money saving expert who s budgeting tips on her website, andreaworoch
Com, in an interview. “You can find ance sales on summer apparel, outdoor furniture, patio goods, beach items, etc
Later in August,” she said
Buy: Amazon devicesA Prime Day given is good deals on Amazon’s own ducts
It’s the best time of the year, other than Black Friday, to buy Echo devices, Fire TV ducts and tablets and Kindle e-readers, Woroch said. “Although, we may actually see prices go up slightly around November as tariffs take on a bigger effect,” she added
The Ring doorbell cameras and Blink smart security ducts you see plastered all over your page are also Amazon brands, and mise to be on sale
Skip: Anything that doesn’t feel a dealPrices are dynamic these days
Tect yourself from a bad deal by trusting the data over the percent off discount you see displayed (e. , “lowest price in 30 days”)
Keepa and CamelCamelCamel are two sites you can use to check the price history of ducts sold on Amazon
Here’s a prime example of the way it is: The Bose QuietComfort bluetooth headphones have a suggested price of $359 (current price on Amazon at the time of writing), but you should never pay that because they’re often on sale for $250
Prime Day may bring even more off
Buy: Recurring essential itemsReplenishing your essentials is a fun way to participate in the sale without going overboard
Woroch uses Prime Day to stock up on the personal care ducts she uses all the time. “This includes everything from makeup to haircare ducts to toothpaste,” she said
The “buy it again” tab — which you can find in your Amazon cart — makes it easy to sift through stuff you buy regularly
I’m hoping for a few bucks off electric toothbrush heads and tea tree shampoo during the sale
Other ideas for rebuys: Pet food and treats, vitamins, socks, light bulbs, batteries, granola bars, er paper and razors
Do: Take it slow to buy low this Prime DayA 96-hour sale leaves a lot of opportunity to impulse buy, but you can use the extra days to your advantage. “Give yourself as much time as possible, especially if it’s something that’s not on that pre-planned list,” says Ashley Feinstein Gerstley, a shopping and savings strategist at Rakuten
She recommends the “48-hour rule” — where you put something in your cart, press pause, then come back a couple days later — to allow “that impulse to wear off. ”Try for at least 24 hours if you can
Because going off-script can be a recipe for Prime Day regrets
Don’t: Get too far ahead of yourselfAll the trade war talk can make it tempting to plan purchases way ahead
If you’re good that go ahead and get your Christmas shopping started over Prime Day
But just because lots of toys are made in China doesn’t mean you need to buy them all up now, said Woroch
Feinstein Gerstley agrees that this kind of panic buying can work against you. “We can’t get everything in advance, and so we don't want to stress our budget and pre-purchase so many things when we'll just have to keep buying them at the new rate anyway,” she says. “Who knows what my kids will be begging for in October. ”Bonus: What we’re saving in our carts right nowA quick poll around the NerdWallet office shows my fellow writers have Prime Day on the mind
Most are playing it cool by placing an item or two in their cart to watch for a price drop when the sale hits
Writer Kate Ashford is casually watching the Ninja Creami ice cream maker
Writer Amanda Barroso’s family is ready for the Radio Flyer Voya XT two-seater stroller wagon if the discount is good enough
Writer Anna Helhoski wants a Nori Press Travel Steam Iron for her time on the road when the price is right
Editor Karen Gaudette Brewer may splurge on a table tennis table for Prime Day, but … also may not
As for me, I’m not sure the deals will be good enough, but I’m after an outdoor griddle (because smash burgers are all I see on social media)
The authorTommy TindallTommy is a personal finance writer at NerdWallet
He covers savvy spending and ways to plan for a sperous financial future
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