6 Important Things To Know Before Amazon Prime Day

Play your cards right and you could save a ton of $$$.

It's almost time for Amazon's third annual Prime Day event. This year, it falls on July 11 — although some deals will begin as early as 9 p.m. ET on July 10!

You might remember the original Prime Day in 2015 for its, let's say, less than fantastic deals, but the retailer worked to increase inventory and amp up the deals last year (including deals on popular items like the Squatty Potty and the Instant Pot) — and this year's Prime Day promises to be even bigger.

And while we can't be sure yet exactly how it will go down, here are some tips to getting the most out of whatever happens:

1. First step: Actually get Prime.

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Even the worst deals on Prime Day are only available to Amazon Prime members. But even if you aren't a member, you can still get the deals if you sign up for a 30-day free trial (and even if you cancel once Prime Day is over). And college students get six months free.

2. Turn on 1-click ordering.

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While it may be dangerous the rest of the year, some of the best Prime Day deals sold out last year within a matter of minutes. So make sure your delivery info is all correct, and turn on 1-click ordering if you plan on taking advantage of any quick-moving deals. Though 1-click can't be used on the official "Lightning Deals," it is good for other things that may sell out.

Learn how to turn on 1-click ordering here.

3. Check the previous price on CamelCamelCamel.

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CamelCamelCamel is a site that tracks the history of an item's price on Amazon. Once you see a deal, copy the item URL into CamelCamelCamel to check if it was ever priced lower than the sale price. If it has, there's a likelihood that it was hiked to show a better deal or it will be reduced again for another sale. If not, you might want to pounce.

4. Set up app alerts if you don't want to wade through all the shitty deals.

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Amazon will have SO MANY DEALS on Prime Day, and if your search history is anything like most people's (random, filled with things they'll never actually buy), your suggested algorithms might not match what you're looking for.

The Amazon app, available on iTunes, Android, and Amazon Fire, allows you to set up notifications for certain items or deals you want to watch. Here's how to do it.

5. Know the best deals will probably be on Amazon's own items.

Nicole Nguyen / BuzzFeed

In past years, some of the best deals were for Amazon's own products, so if you're in the market for an Echo, Kindle, or other Amazon device, it might be a good day to pull the trigger.

6. Make sure to follow #PrimeDayFail.

Evan Thomas @EvanDerekThomas

Ah yes, my favorite electronic: Flintstones vitamins #PrimeDay

Wed Jul 15 15:25:15 UTC+0000 2015

Sure, you might get a great deal on a TV that's bigger than most people's apartments, but this hashtag filled with less fortunate shoppers than you is always good for a laugh.

Official Prime Day deals go live at 9 p.m. ET on July 10. Check back on BuzzFeed then, and all day on the 11th, for selections of all the best deals of the day.

Again, if you don't have a Prime membership yet, just go here to sign up before Prime Day!