Amazon has set its fall savings event: it’s announced the return of Prime Big Deal Days, otherwise referred to as “October Prime Day,” and it will be a quick, two-day dash through deals designed to jump-start holiday shopping. If you’ve been waiting to strategize your big-ticket buys or early gifts, the calendar is in fact confirmed and this two-day window is scheduled.
When does Prime Big Deal Days start and end?
The October event also lasts for 48 hours, spanning from Tuesday to Wednesday. Amazon in subsequent years confirmed the dates as Oct. 7 and Oct. 8 for 2025, putting the sale firmly ahead of the larger holiday crush.
This fall’s format is a departure from the extended summer Prime Day, which lasted for four days. By compressing the October event into two days of frenzied shopping, instead of spreading it out over half a month and siphoning off attention and deal volume, Amazon focuses shoppers — as it typically does with flash sales in popular categories — into quick sellouts.
Start time, accessibility, and how to shop
Like other Amazon tentpole sales, deals are scheduled to launch at midnight Pacific time, which is the dead of night on the East Coast. Most deals will require shoppers to have an active Prime membership to check out; free trials are often available for new customers, and lapsed accounts can be reinstated before the sale.
Traditionally, a few markdowns stick around after the official close of the window, but this is where you will find exclusive deals that may not last the day.
If you have your eye on certain items, add these now to the lists above (or new ones below) and enable stock and price alerts if it’s available.
Why Amazon centers a big sale around October
The October timing is strategic. Retail analysts at Adobe Analytics have charted a pull-forward of holiday spending into early fall as consumers pursue early deals and even out budgets. By scaring people into shopping for Prime Big Deal Days now, Amazon accelerates that transition — then it accelerates it again with speedy shipping and additional discounts for Prime members.
Consumer research firms like Numerator, too, have discovered that October Prime events see a higher emphasis on gift discovery, smaller basket sizes relative to July and multitrip behavior — all signals The effect: momentum that should carry through to November without waiting for Black Friday.
Retail ripple effects to expect on those dates
Where Amazon goes, rivals are likely to follow. Target has for the past two years timed Circle Week to coincide with Prime’s fall event, while Walmart and Best Buy have waged their own “anti-Prime” price plays. Look for rival electronics, smart home, toys and small-appliance deals to target similar direction in the October window.
Key takeaways if you’re building around the window
Circle the 48-hour window, verify your Prime credentials well in advance — don’t’ wait until the last second and miss out — and focus on items that tend to have historically price fluctuations headphones, tablets, streaming devices, robot vacuums and branded Amazon hardware.
Over large purchases, cross-reference them against price histories and manufacturer promos. And if you miss a doorbuster, don’t assume it’ll never be back; many categories see rolling restocks and follow-on discounts throughout the week.
Bottom line: Prime Big Deal Days 2025 will fall on Oct. 7 and Oct. 8. A: It’s short, sharp and designed to shift spending forward into the holiday — so set alerts, prep your lists and be ready when the clock strikes midnight on the West Coast.