Mindful Shopping on Amazon Prime Day

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, there is a good chance you are familiar with Amazon Prime Day. This Black Friday like charged shopping day in the middle of summer started back in 2015 on Amazon’s 20th anniversary. On this first Prime Day, shoppers spent more money on Amazon than they did on Black Friday of 2014, with a sales volume of a whopping 398 items per second. Unbelievable. Like that wasn’t enough, in 2019, Prime “Day” for the first time lasted 48 hours and served 18 countries. Since then, it has continued to grow with sales in 2023 estimated to have exceeded $12.9B globally.

It’s no wonder people are frustrated with all the stuff in their homes. The temptation of a good sale, the excitement of a new & improved item, the rush of that box showing up on your doorstep. They’ve got many of us pretty good. This is a great time to reflect on our shopping habits over the past several years and prepare for the temptations and urgency that are ramping up.

The purpose of this post is to prepare you for the coming days. Knowledge is power and while I’m sure you already know how this time of year makes you feel, it doesn’t hurt to have a little reminder or perspective going into it.

Let’s first review why these sales are so effective. The limited timeline of Prime Day is what gets us good. Humans naturally desire things that are rare or limited. Our FOMO kicks in and we are triggered to laser focus on anything and everything with almost panic-like urgency during these 48 hours. The lightning deals increase this urgency even more requiring us to make those impulse purchases because if you wait even 15 minutes, that sale may be over and your chances are long gone. This can happen to anyone - the algorithm will serve you up items you’ve looked at in the past, with the clock counting down to the end of your opportunity.

Empowering yourself with this knowledge, the next step to take is to set a budget and make a list. Decide ahead of time what you are already looking for - a new umbrella for your patio or the most recent version of the Instant Pot (which by the way is one of the most common appliances I’ve decluttered from people’s homes) and how much you are willing to spend on each item. Jotting down current prices of these items can be helpful as sometimes a “flash sale” is really not as good as it seems. It might be minimally less expensive than normal price or the “retail price” might have been marked up to falsify your actual savings. Having a good idea of what you currently own is just as important. Do you really need new cookie sheets or can you just not find the ones you have? Be real with yourself and take a few extra minutes to look for anything you might have already that somehow made it onto your list.

When I help people declutter their homes, I find a lot of very similar themes. One is piles of things that need to be returned that may or may not be outside the return window (this could be a result of an impulse purchase). Preventing these purchases can not only save you money, but time waiting in line at the UPS Store returning them. Another common sticking point is Amazon boxes that are unopened. The excitement of the purchase is history, yet that box still arrives on your doorstep. You don’t need the item enough to remember it’s been ordered and delivered, or you are too busy to take the time to open it, put the item away, and take care of that empty box. Once again, taking some time before you press “buy now” can save you from this burden.

I am not suggesting everyone become minimalists and avoid these Prime Day sales. I am sure I will find a few things to buy myself, and will be reminding myself of this very post I’m writing before I complete my purchase. What I am trying to do is to remind everyone that you can start your decluttering journey now by deciding what you will not be buying. That you will give yourself 12 or 24 hours before you complete your purchase to make sure what is in your cart is something you need, use, and/or love.

Now you can stop reading right here if you find that you are an over shopper! I am not intending to contribute to anyone’s Amazon cart unless it is something that will be helpful for you. That being said, if you are looking for some simple ways to organize your home, the following items are some my favorites. I have no idea if they are or will be part of Prime Day, just that they have proven helpful to me and/or my clients. (The links provided below are affiliate links - while I can earn pennies from a purchase through the link, the price to you is not affected).

I mentioned these hooks in my most recent newsletter. They are great for hanging denim, shorts, pants, purses, belts and more!
Cords driving you bonkers? These cable ties are so easy to use and keep everything tidy. Or you can use twist ties and rubberbands from your bread/produce!
Kids have motion sickness? Keep these vomit bags handy in all your vehicles. They have saved ours more than once!
Thick bulky appliance cords can be annoying. These cord organizers are great!
My husband travels a lot. He counts on this case to keep all his chargers and converters in one spot.
He also finds this wallet very helpful for keeping track of multiple currencies. I only recommend this if you travel internationally often.
Organizing a junk drawer? This set can be split up and work all over the house. Or you can use the iPhone boxes you’ve been saving!!
This charging station has kept our phones, air pods, and tablets corralled for charging.
This giant turntable is a huge help in the hard-to-reach back corners of my pantry. I use them for oils, condiments and canned goods.
You can’t go wrong with over the door hooks for bathroom towels, bathrobes, etc.
This labelmaker hasn’t let me down. It’s easy to use. If you are buying refills, the generic ones work just as well as the brand name!
The Kindle Paperwhite is my favorite. I can read in bed without dropping a book on my face and I can travel without the weight of physical books in my bag.

Now to wrap this post up. You will be tempted. There will likely be great deals! Limited time! Act fast! Consider yourself empowered by reading this post. You are the one that decides what you need and what you will buy. Don’t let the urgency of the sale make you complete that purchase unless you are sure - there are plenty of options and opportunities ahead for when you are confident in your purchase.

Do you have an item that you regretted buying from a Prime Day sale? Do you find yourself regretting your purchases or returning a lot of items when the sale has passed? I’d love to hear from you! Email me at amie@amiedavisorganizing.com or send me a message on Facebook or Instagram! Join my mailing list for news, tips, and offers that will not be shared elsewhere.

Sources: History of Prime Day, History of Prime Day