How to Find Amazon Lightning Deals on Prime Day

Amazon Prime Day returns for the second time this year, now as a 48-hour event called Prime Big Deal Days. The member-exclusive deal holiday is a great chance to save, especially with limited-time discounts known as Lightning Deals. These short-lived, extra-low-priced listings are must-buys, so I’ve broken down what you need to know about them below.

The aptly named Lightning Deal is a specific type of Amazon product listing with a limited amount of stock at an a significant markdown with a timer ticking down until it becomes unavailable. Once the deadline arrives, or all of the stock is 100% claimed, it’s official: you’ve missed your chance to score that deal.

Keep scrolling to learn exactly how to snag a highly coveted Lightning Deal when you see it, plus answers to any of your other burning questions before Prime Day.

What is an Amazon Lightning Deal? 

Lightning deals are short-lived, limited-stock deals from Amazon. Not only are these deals set on a timer (usually anywhere from two to six hours), but they also end after they’ve been 100% claimed. If you manage to add one to your cart, a timer starts during which you must check out, or lose the deal. 

If the item runs out of stock before you can snag one, there’s still hope. You can hop on a waitlist afterward to snag the discount in case any shoppers change their minds, though it’s not guaranteed you’ll get one. 

How to ‘watch’ a Lightning Deal

To stay on top of deal availability, you can visit the Upcoming Deals section on your desktop or in the free Amazon app (iOS, Android) to view all deals 24 hours before they go live. 

Click “Watch this Deal” and you’ll receive push notifications on your phone when a deal is starting. This will be the best way to ensure you successfully grab a deal during the frenzy that is Amazon Prime Day. 

What happens if the deal I want is 100% claimed? 

The deals can get snatched up pretty quickly, but there’s still hope even if a Lightning Deal has been 100% claimed.

You can click “Join the Waitlist” in order to potentially get the deal anyway. Lightning Deal purchases must be made within 15 minutes of adding an item to your cart. If the purchase isn’t completed within that time frame, then the deal will be made available to the next customer on the wait list. Joining the wait list won’t guarantee you’ll be able to purchase the deal, but it’s certainly worth a shot. 

If you want to shop Amazon Prime Day Lightning Deals, remember that you have to be an Amazon Prime member first. You can sign up for a free 30-day trial of Prime here. 

Are Amazon’s Lightning Deals worth buying?

Lightning deals are some of the lowest prices we see for items and, therefore, absolutely worth buying. 

What kinds of products are Lightning Deals?

Typically, Amazon Lightning Deals run the gamut from cleaning supplies to smart home gear. The product categories you’ll want to keep an eye out for are tech accessories, smart home tech, kitchen tools, and small home appliances. Items like USB-C hubs, indoor security cameras, Echo smart speakers, kitchen scales, and robot vacuums tend to see some of their best all-time prices in the form of lightning deals, but they go very fast. 

Do I need to be an Amazon Prime Member to get a Lightning Deal?

Most times of the year, Lighting Deals are free game for Prime members and non-members alike. During Amazon Prime Day and the Prime Early Access Sale, however, they are Prime-member exclusive.

A Prime membership is $139 per year or $15 per month. Along with Amazon Prime Day access, members get tons of other Amazon Prime benefits like two-day and same-day shipping, Prime Video, Prime Music, and much more. If you’d like to sample the offerings before making the commitment, you can try Prime free for 30 days.

When is Amazon Prime Day 2025?

Amazon Prime Day 2025 runs from July 8 to 11. Though the event has historically only lasted 48 hours, this year breaks that streak by stretching for a total of four days.