Amazon Prime Day vs Walmart Deal Days: Which Is Better?
Amazon Prime Day vs Walmart Deal Days: From household goods and clothing to electronics and toys, which retail giant is the winner? It depends on what you're looking to buy.
In comparing Amazon Prime Day vs Walmart Deal Days, the biggest winner might be the consumer, as the two retail behemoths compete with each other to offer the biggest discounts for shoppers.
Amazon Prime Day, the two-day mega shopping event, kicks off in just over a week, running July 16-17. Not to be outdone, competitor Walmart begins its Walmart Deal Days event later today, July 8th. Both have a bevy of deals and discounts and both have loyal shoppers looking to benefit. Which retailer has the best deals, and in which categories?
Amazon Prime members bought over 375 million items during the company’s annual two-day sales event in 2023. In fact, July 11 (the first day of Prime Day, 2023) was the largest sales day in Amazon’s history.
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Walmart offered a number of sales days and weeks throughout the year, but doesn't have an event from last year to compare directly. Nonetheless, Walmart had U.S. had net sales of 420.6 billion U.S. dollars in 2023, according to Statista.
Walmart is still the number one retailer, according to the National Retail Federation's 2023 list of Top 100 Retailers. However, Amazon comes in a close second. And so the battle continues to rage during Amazon Prime Day, July 16 & 17, and Walmart Deal Days, which kicks off July 8 at 5 p.m. ET and runs through July 11 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
So where can you find the best deals? Take a look at both sales events.
What is the Walmart Deals event?
Walmart Deals is the retail giant’s "largest deals event" ever that takes place online via the Walmart app and in the Walmart digital storefront. During the event, customers can save big on a variety of items across many departments. From electronics and home essentials, to clothing and toys, Walmart Deals is coming out swinging with discounts on tons of goodies that you can shop in tandem with Amazon's Prime Day deals.
Early Walmart Deals
Trying to get a leg up on Amazon, Walmart is already advertising some of the deals you can find during its sales event. Just a sample of what you’ll find includes:
- Shark IQ Mapping robot vacuum reg. $550, now $288
- Dyson V12 Detect Slimm cordless vacuum reg. $650, now $450
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic (46mm) reg. $180, now $99
- Keurig K-Slim + Iced single-serve coffee maker reg. $129, now $49
- 15.6" HP Victus 1R5 4050 gaming laptop reg. $979, now $599
- TCL 65" Class Q 4K QLED HDR smart TV with Google TV reg. $498, now $398
- Ozark Trail 10-person cabin tent reg. $170, now $99
- Super Mario Party+ Red & Blue Nintendo Switch Joy-Con bundle reg. $99, now $69
When can you shop Walmart Deals?
If you're a Walmart Plus member, you'll have early access to discounts and deals starting at noon ET on July 8. That’s five hours of shopping the sales event before the Walmart Deals event kicks off for the general public on Monday, July 8, 2024 at 5 p.m. ET through Thursday, July 11 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
You can sign up to become a Walmart Plus member ahead of the event and take advantage of a variety of pickup and delivery options to receive the items you've purchased during the sale. In fact, for a limited time, you can sign up for $49. That’s $50 off the regular membership price. After that, Walmart Plus will cost you $12.95 per month or $98 annually.
Is Walmart Deals Day worth it?
Shopping the 2024 Walmart Deals event may be worth considering if you can find deals on things you actually need. The fact that the sales event overlaps with Amazon Prime Day means you have even more deals to choose from, but it will also take more of your time to find those deals. In contrast to Amazon Prime Days, you can shop Walmart Deals without a paid membership. Although you'll have to do a bit of searching on your own, as it stands, there will be plenty of great items on sale both before and during the Walmart Deals event.
What is Amazon Prime Day?
Amazon Prime Day is an annual event for Prime members. During the sale, which takes place Tuesday, July 16 and Wednesday, July 17, you'll find exceptional discounts across a wide range of products, from home essentials and electronics to brand-name electronics and Amazon devices. The sales event features flash sales, spotlight deals, exclusive and limited-time offers and special promotions.
Early Amazon Prime Day deals
Can't wait until July 16th? You'll find dozens of early deals on some of your favorite items right now.
- Keurig K-Mini Single Serve Coffee Machine reg. $100, now $60
- Apple Pencil (2nd Generation) reg. $129, now $79
- Samsonite Freeform Luggage Set, reg. $479, now $219.81
- Cuisinart 1.7-Liter Electric Kettle, reg. $99.95, now $70.61
- Nexxus Therappe Shampoo and Conditioner, reg. $46.39, now $34.87
- Kasa Smart Plug Mini 4-Pack, reg. $50, now $36
- Giotohun Cat Water Fountain, reg. $50, now $26
- Oral-B Genius X Electric Toothbrush, reg. $200, now $145
- Hydro Flask All Around Travel Tumbler, reg. $39.95, now $27.93
When can you shop Amazon Prime Day?
Prime Day 2024 will take place on Tuesday, July 16 and Wednesday, July 17, 2024. Amazon Prime Day has historically taken place during the second week of July.
Is Amazon Prime Day worth it?
You can shop a wide variety of deals and discounts by heading to Amazon and checking out the Prime Day deals page. But understand, some of these deals will sell out quickly, so shop early Prime Day deals, or set your alarm the day of the event so you don’t miss out. Since competitors, like Walmart, have started offering multi-day sales events, Amazon hopes to get a jump on the best deals first. However, (and this is a big however), Prime Day deals are exclusively for Amazon Prime members.
Amazon holds the event to attract new members and reward existing members with free shipping, deals and discounts, faster shipping, streaming media and more not available the rest of the year. To shop the sale, make sure you have a Prime membership. If you don't, right now you can try prime FREE for 30 days. (Some shoppers will see a different introductory offer). After that, Prime will set you back $14.99 per month or $139 annually.
Amazon Prime Day vs Walmart Deal Days: Which Has Better Sales?
So, when it comes to Amazon Prime Day vs Walmart Deal Days — which is better? That will probably depend on what you’re shopping for. If you’re already a Prime member and shop the site often, it may not pay to wander over to Walmart. But the same can be true if you’re a Walmart Plus member. Either way, you’ll score some great deals in July from both retailers, which is a win-win for you and for the retailers' bottom line.
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For the past 18+ years, Kathryn has highlighted the humanity in personal finance by shaping stories that identify the opportunities and obstacles in managing a person's finances. All the same, she’ll jump on other equally important topics if needed. Kathryn graduated with a degree in Journalism and lives in Duluth, Minnesota. She joined Kiplinger in 2023 as a contributor.
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