Avoid these 6 mistakes when shopping on Prime Day

Amazon Prime Day can be a great way to save big on a huge variety of items sold by the online retailer, and it’s here. On July 16 and 17, you can score deals on everything from beauty products to smart home products. But before you start hitting “add to cart,” you should watch out for some common mistakes shoppers make during this sale that can cost you money.

If you shop a lot on Amazon, consider doing so with a Prime Visa credit card. This card was chosen as CNBC Select’s top pick overall for online shopping because of its strong cashback potential at Amazon and Whole Foods, in addition to not charging an annual fee (though it does require a Prime membership).

There’s one catch to the Prime Day festivities: Sales are limited to Amazon Prime members. If you’re not a member and feel put off by the $139 per year (or $14.99 per month) membership fee, you still have some ways to get a free Amazon Prime membership.

For example, you can sign up for a 30-day free trial if you haven’t been a member in the last 12 months or are new to Prime. Also, college students and non-students between the ages of 18-24 can sign up for a free six-month Amazon Prime Student trial.

You’ll need a valid credit card or a Venmo account in order to set up your trial. And, make sure to set a calendar reminder for when the free trial is over — you’ll be upgraded to a paid membership automatically when your trial ends to the tune of $14.99 per month for regular Prime members or $7.49 a month for Prime Student members.

Don’t have a free trial available? You can also offset the price of your first year of Prime membership with the Prime Visa card, which earns a $100 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members

It’s no secret that Amazon is a strong option for fast shipping. But, if your Prime Day purchases aren’t urgent, you could earn rewards or save money by choosing no-rush shipping.

Amazon offers either immediate discounts or automatic rewards that can be used on digital products (like e-books, movies, and music) for choosing the shipping option during checkout. 

Have your heart set on an item? Don’t assume that Amazon’s Prime Day price is the best out there.

Make sure to compare the same item across retailers, since Amazon likely isn’t the only site slashing the price. And just because an item’s on sale, that doesn’t mean it’s a good deal when you consider its recent price history. Using a price tracker like camelcamelcamel helps you keep track of this information and make an informed decision.

This isn’t the year’s last sale until the holidays, and it might make sense to hold off on some purchases.

Those shopping for electronics might want to postpone their purchase for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, too — gaming consoles tend to be cheaper then. Other notable price cuts during the holidays include toys, kitchen supplies and dinnerware.

Navigating a sale as vast as Prime Day without a list can be not only overwhelming but also lead to overspending. 

Ahead of the sale, make a list of the items you’re searching for that are well-priced during this time of year. Prime Day can be a great time to stock up on household essentials like home, pet and baby products. Create a list and stick to it as you shop. 

Instead of scrolling endlessly through discounted items, bookmark products you’ve been eyeing, or add them to a wishlist. You can sign up to be notified when the item goes on sale and skip the temptation brought on by browsing the sales. 

* The Prime Visa and Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard® has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer prior to publication; if you purchase something through Select links, we may earn a commission.