Prime Day 2020 in Australia: Amazon discounts its own devices in early deals

After months of delays, Amazon Prime Day is finally here... almost! It officially kicks off tonight at midnight (12am, October 13, to be precise), but Amazon Australia isn't waiting.

Several of the tech giant's own devices – Echo smart speakers and display, Kindle ereaders, and Ring security cameras – are already discounted, so scroll down further to take a gander at the best offers you can grab right now.

How to shop during Prime Day 2020

The only way to maximise your savings during the Prime Day sale is to become a Prime member. Click on the link below to sign up now and you'll get a 30-day free trial, plus access to a lot of other Amazon services, including Prime Video, Prime Reading and Prime Gaming (previously called Twitch)
Sign up for Amazon Prime now

Local deals for Prime Day 2020 officially end at 11:59pm on October 14, but you can continue shopping for offers from the UK and US until 6pm on October 15.

There’s a dedicated Prime Day landing page on Amazon Australia where the retail giant will be listing all its deals. You can bookmark this page for when the sale begins, but the sheer volume of offers that are available during Prime Day can be a little overwhelming.

So let TechRadar’s Australian team save you the trouble of trawling through all the offers to find specific ones – we’ll be on hand to sift through it all and list only the biggest bargains on the hottest tech in town.

Early Prime Day 2020 deals

Amazon eero mesh Wi-Fi router (3-pack) | AU$257 (save AU$172)

Amazon's knocking an impressive 40% off its eero mesh Wi-Fi devices for Prime Day, and this three-pack is what you'll want to get yourself set up for whole-home wireless. If you've already got an eero setup and want to add additional nodes, you can buy single ones for AU$119, down from the usual AU$199. View Deal

Amazon Echo Auto | AU$49 (save AU$30)

These days there are cars that come with a voice assistant built-in, but they're oh-so-expensive! If you aren't too keen on spending you entire savings on a 'smart' car, then you just need to shell out a mere AU$49 on the Echo Auto and you'll be able to get Alexa support in you existing car. That said, you will need to check on the product page to see if the Echo Auto is compatible with your car, so double check before you buy.View Deal

Ring Indoor Cam | AU$69 (save AU$30)

Want to keep an eye on what's happening inside your home? This little plug-in camera can do that for you, either alone in a single room, or together with other Ring Indoor Cams (set up via the companion app). It's easy to set up, will show you a live feed in the Ring app and now only costs AU$69 – that's 30% off the RRP.View Deal

All-new Ring Stick Up Cam (battery) | AU$139 (save AU$40)

For many of us, drilling holes in walls to set up security devices are not an option. That's where this battery-powered Stick Up Cam comes in. You can stick it onto a wall or just place it on a convenient flat surface and you'll have an easy-to-use security camera that's great either indoors or out. View Deal

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite | AU$149 (save AU$50)

It's waterproof, has a pretty decent screen and an adjustable front light for reading anywhere at any time. And it's one of the most popular ereaders in the world. If you're an avid reader, the Kindle Paperwhite is worth the investment, especially when you can save 25% on the 8GB storage version of the ereader.

Need more storage? The 32GB Wi-Fi option is now down to just AU$189 – down from AU$249.View Deal

Amazon Kindle Oasis | AU$319 (save AU$80)

It's the best ereader money can buy, with a premium-looking metal chassis and page-turn buttons that are perfect for one-handed use. That luxurious reading experience also comes with a hefty price tag, but thanks to Prime Day, you can now grab the Kindle Oasis in both 8GB storage or the larger capacity 32GB flavour and save 20% off the RRP.View Deal

Amazon Echo Dot (3rd gen) | AU$34 (save AU$45)

Getting your foot in the door of a smart home setup has never been this affordable. This is last year's version of the Echo Dot and is available in four different fabric colours. So whether you like Charcoal or the lighter Heather Grey, the Plum or Sandstone, this tiny smart speaker is available for ridiculously affordable price of just AU$34.View Deal

Amazon Echo Dot with Clock (3rd Gen) | AU$59 (save AU$40)

If you’d like to pick up the third-gen Echo Dot with Clock, it’s also been discounted by a solid 40%. This pint-sized smart speaker is much the same as the original Echo Dot (3rd Gen), with the exception of a LED display that can show the time, temperature or countdown timers. This model is only available in Sandstone.View Deal

Amazon Echo Sub | AU$99 (save AU$100)

The Echo Sub is a nice addition for those looking to expand their current Echo ecosystem. This subwoofer is well rounded, expanding the soundscape with deep bass without sounding overbearing. There’s some room for improvement in its clarity, but at the discounted price of AU$99, it feels hard to complain. Please note, the Echo Sub must be paired with a compatible Echo device.View Deal

Ring Video Doorbell | AU$105 (save AU$44.70)

Easy to install, resistant to moisture and able to record security footage in 1080p, this doorbell will let you talk to anyone at your threshold even if you aren't at home. This is the latest iteration of the popular device and now comes with better motion detection and improved night vision. Available in two colour options – Venetian Bronze and Satin Nickel – with 30% slashed off the RRP.View Deal

Amazon Echo Show 5 | AU$79 (save AU$50)

For those that have a small space but still keen on getting a smart display, this diminutive smart display might be the right fit, especially since there's a whopping 38% off right now. That brings the price down to just AU$80 for an Alexa smart display, making it one of the cheapest smart home devices you can currently get. You have a choice of the Charcoal version or the Sandstone colour, both at the same price.View Deal

Amazon Echo Show 8 | AU$129 (save AU$100)

This smart display now comes with a 43% discount for Prime Day. It has an 8-inch display, so you can control your compatible smart home devices through the touchscreen or with your voice. Even if the Echo Show 8 is your first smart home gadget, you can use it to stream movies and TV shows from Prime Video, chill out with tunes or manage your day. Now discounted in both Charcoal and Sandstone.View Deal

Amazon Echo Show (2nd gen) | AU$229 (save AU$120)

This smart display is an older version of the new Echo Show 10, but you still get a pretty good 10-inch HD screen from where you can control your smart home setup, stream videos, listen to music (while also keeping up with the lyrics) and so much more. And all of that with the power of Alexa behind it. Now available for AU$229, saving you AU$120, in both the Charcoal and Sandstone fabric versions.View Deal

Amazon Kindle | AU$99 (save AU$40)

It might be a basic, no-frills ereader, but with AU$40 off the RRP, this is the best ebook reader for book lovers on a really tight budget. The 6-inch display is plenty sharp and this latest iteration even has an adjustable front light so you can read – for days at a stretch if you wish – any time and anywhere. The Kindle is available in a black chassis, or in a white body if you're tired of seeing the darker colour.View Deal

Amazon Music Unlimited | AU$0.99 for four months

If you're a music buff, this might just be for you. If you're a new customer and sign up for Amazon's music streaming service now, you'll only need to pay 99c for a full four months of access to 60 million songs, all playing ad free. After the four months, though, you'll need to pay the usual monthly subscription fee of AU$11.99.View Deal

Audible | three months free, plus free monthly audiobook

Another excellent offer for Prime members right now – if you're looking to try out Audible audiobooks, Amazon Prime members can get three free months of the service. On top of that, you'll be getting a free audiobook of your choice each month. After the trial, it'll return to AU$16.45 per month.
View Deal

What is Amazon Prime Day?

Amazon Prime Day began in the US in 2015 as a celebration of the company’s 20th anniversary, with more deals on offer than Black Friday back then. Prime Day then quickly transformed into Amazon’s mid-year sales event where members of Amazon Prime get exclusive discounts on a wide range of items. While it began as a one-day sale, 2018 saw the offers last for 36 hours, while 2019 saw a recording-breaking 65-hour event for shoppers in Australia.

Why does Amazon have Prime Day? It's presented as a neat ‘thank you’ to its paying members, but one that involves giving Amazon more money and shifting a lot of stock at the same time.

Prime Day isn’t just about selling Amazon-branded products – many other brands and third-party sellers also save their best deals for Prime Day, completely aware that thousands of extra shoppers will be hitting the online store.

To make the most of Prime Day you’ll need to get yourself an Amazon Prime membership which, in Australia, will set you back just AU$6.99 a month or AU$59 a year – half the cost of the US subscription. 

While you’re paying for the privilege of free, swift delivery, signing up for Prime means you’ll also have free access to Amazon’s streaming services, including Prime Video, Prime Music and Twitch. Members also get free access to Prime Reading and Prime Photos for all their ebook and storage needs.

If you'd like to know more about how a Prime membership can benefit you, head to our dedicated page on Amazon Prime in Australia where we explain it all.

When is Amazon Prime Day 2020?

Amazon has finally confirmed the highly anticipated dates of Prime Day 2020. As mentioned earlier, this year the sale event kicks off at 12am AEDT on Tuesday, October 13 – a first as Prime Day is usually in July and always on a Monday.

In Australia, the sale will carry on for a massive 66 hours. Until 11:59pm on Wednesday, October 14, you'll be able to shop for all offers – those sold and shipping domestically and those shipping from abroad (like the UK and US). Once that ends there'll be 18 hours more of offers for Aussie shoppers, although these will be the US deals which, like last year, will carry on until they end in the US West Coast. That's 6pm AEDT on Thursday, October 15.

Last year's Prime Day was 65 hours, but thanks to daylight savings kicking in early October, we get an extra hour to shop this year.

(Image credit: Amazon)

Are Prime Day deals competitive?

Amazon has a plethora of offers on its site each day and those are usually some of the best prices you can find on consumer tech. Whether you’re after a Samsung Note 10 or a Philips Hue smart lighting system, chances are you’ll get them cheaper on Amazon than any other Aussie retailer. It’s even more the case with Prime Day deals. 

Leading the raft of deals during Prime Day 2020 will be Amazon’s own products, including all the Echo and Kindle products, not to mention Ring security devices. Amazon is also one of the most convenient places to score a discount on the Oculus VR headsets and, now, lay your hands on official stock of Samsung devices, Xiaomi phones, Instant Pots and Nikon photography gear.

You can easily score about 35% off on Amazon’s own devices during Prime Day which, for the rest of the year probably don’t drop more than 28% or thereabouts. If you’ve managed to score a $500 discount on Samsung or Huawei devices during one of Amazon’s regular deals, then it’s highly likely that the discount will be much deeper come Prime Day. It’s the perfect time to snag a Nintendo Switch or find the lowest prices on the best premium headphones – cheaper than any other retailer who will likely be scrambling to price-match.

What were people searching for on Amazon Prime Day 2019?

According to analytics experts Hitwise, Amazon saw an increase in traffic across all major categories on the Australian site, with the Electronics & Computing showing a 359% growth in reach between 2018 and 2019, with Amazon-branded items being the most popular products on the site, followed closely by the Nintendo Switch. There were nearly 100,000 page views for all NIntendo-branded items, including consoles and games. 

With Samsung now having partnered with Amazon to sell its products on the e-commerce platform in Australia, it was no surprise that the South Korean brand clocked up over 95,000 pageviews during Prime Day 2019.

The other big winners in Australia included Sony, Sandisk, Corsair and Philips.

What to expect from Prime Day 2020

As mentioned earlier, Amazon Australia has already begun teasing us with what kind of offers to expect during Prime Day. Echo smart speakers and display, Kindle ereaders, Ring security devices, Nikon and Panasonic cameras, the PS4 Pro, Instant Pots, just to name a few.

But, going by the last couple of Prime Days we've enjoyed in Australia, that's just a fraction of the tip of the iceberg. Extrapolating from previous Amazon sales, we're expecting the Nintendo Switch to be one of the most popular items again, with potentially even the Switch Lite selling out in minutes.

Premium headphones have been very popular on Amazon over the last couple of years and 2020 will likely see that continue, particularly for Sony and Bose headphones. With the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 one of the more expensive ANC cans on the market, Prime Day will be a great time to get a set for less, not to mention the latest-gen Sony WH-1000XM4 cans.

With more TVs available on Amazon Australia now, we think Prime Day 2020 would be an ideal time to upgrade your home entertainment system, especially if you’re in the market for a good 4K smart telly – we've already seen Sony's TVs discounted on the site on a regular basis. That said, the TV catalogue on Amazon is still quite basic, but we're expecting some big discounts on soundbars.

It will also be a good time to get yourself a new fitness wearable, be it from Garmin’s very premium GPS sports watch range or more affordable options from Fitbit. Small appliances have also been discounted in the past, so best keep your credit card handy.

Prime Day is not all about tech, though. You can, of course, save a packet on pantry items, fashion and beauty products, and potentially even alcohol. Here at TechRadar,  however, we'll only be listing the best tech deals.

How to shop on Prime Day in 2020

1. Check out our deals predictions and, eventually our Prime Day deals list

There are also too many deals available on Prime Day. It's never a problem finding discounts, it's always an issue of figuring out what deals are worth your money. That's why we always set up a curated list during the sales marathon. 

We spent some good time last Black Friday thinking about smart ways to shop on Amazon – they're still some great Prime Day tips and tricks.

2. Amazon Prime Day has historically required being a Prime member, so be sure to have a subscription on Prime Day

Amazon started Prime Day as a clever way to drive up its Prime subscription count, and this online shopping marathon – conveniently opposite Black Friday – accomplished just that. 

You'll need to sign up for Prime (you can get a free 30-day trial), which comes with free shipping and Prime Video access, among other smaller perks.

3. Create a wish list to curate what you want, as there will be loads of deals

You're also going to want to create a wish list ahead of time, which will let you sort out what you want and how much everything costs. This will give you a head start. You'll be able to see which deals dropped in price and which did not. 

4. Snap up the best Prime Day 2020 deals before they're gone

We often find the best deals to go in a matter of minutes, at which time Amazon rolls out a waitlist for those who were just behind the curve.

Prime Day: why does it matter more to Amazon?

There are some crucial differences between Prime Day and Black Friday. The first is that Prime Day is Amazon’s own day. It’s right there in the name which, of course, refers to Amazon’s Prime membership program and associated services. Amazon doesn’t own Black Friday, and that means ultimately it’s just another retailer shouting for attention – a massive retailer with a really loud voice. Black Friday is a sales event for the entire retail sector. With Prime Day as its own take on November sale period, it makes it much harder for rivals to muscle in on something that Amazon has effectively created from thin air.

The second and more important difference is that Black Friday doesn’t create new spending. It just moves it slightly. As we’ve discovered in recent years, the money people spend over the Black Friday period is money they were probably going to spend anyway: all Black Friday really does is concentrates pre-Christmas shopping in the last week of November. 

Prime Day spending is different in two ways. First of all, people aren’t spending the money they’d already planned to spend on Christmas presents. And secondly, they’re buying mainly for themselves, not for others.

There’s another key benefit for Amazon. Its global bestsellers on Prime Day weren’t just Amazon devices; they were Amazon devices that connect to Amazon services. Fire TVs, Kindle Fires, Echo devices, Alexa remotes. Each one of them connecting to Amazon Prime, and each one of them requiring a Prime membership to buy in the first place. So when Black Friday rolls around, Amazon will have a whole bunch of Prime members for whom shopping on Prime is the default, and who might want to enhance their Amazon-powered smart homes with Amazon-branded Black Friday deals.

Prime Day means that, for Amazon, Christmas now comes twice a year.

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