Mashable's Best: E-readers, robovacs, laptops, earbuds, smart home and more Gift Ideas For Everyone On Your List Safety Net Say More Look Up Mashable @Home In My Bag Versus Trending Now Creator Playbook Mashable Selects Getting Technical with Mashable All Series Amazon's Black Friday sale is nearly here -- try Prime for free for 30 days You don't necessarily need to be a Prime member to shop the sale, but it certainly enhances the experience. Christina Buff is a Nashville-based freelance writer for who covers shopping with a splash of entertainment. If you're ever wondering what streaming service you need to watch something (and the cheapest way to sign up for it), she's your girl. All products featured here are independently selected by our editors and writers. If you buy something through links on our site, Mashable may earn an affiliate commission.

Mashable's Best: E-readers, robovacs, laptops, earbuds, smart home and more Creator Playbook Mashable Selects In My Bag Look Up Say More AI at School Safety Net Versus Trending Now Back to School Good Connection: Uplifting stories for a digital age All Series So long as you're a Prime member, that is. Haley Henschel is a Chicago-based Senior Shopping Reporter at Mashable who reviews and finds deals on popular tech, from laptops to gaming consoles and VPNs. She has years of experience covering shopping holidays and can tell you what's actually worth buying on Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day. Her work has also explored the driving forces behind digital trends within the shopping sphere, from dupes to 12-foot skeletons . All products featured here are independently selected by our editors and writers.

Mashable's Best: E-readers, robovacs, laptops, earbuds, smart home and more In My Bag Look Up Say More Trending Now Mashable Selects Creator Playbook Back to School Good Connection: Uplifting stories for a digital age Switch Off Mashable Voices Safety Net All Series Lock in your discounted meal ahead of the Prime Big Deal Days event on Oct. 6 with this code. Christina Buff is a Nashville-based freelance writer for who covers shopping with a splash of entertainment. If you're ever wondering what streaming service you need to watch something (and the cheapest way to sign up for it), she's your girl. All products featured here are independently selected by our editors and writers. If you buy something through links on our site, Mashable may earn an affiliate commission.

Look Up Mashable's Best: E-readers, robovacs, laptops, earbuds, smart home and more Say More Trending Now Mashable Selects Creator Playbook Back to School Good Connection: Uplifting stories for a digital age Switch Off Mashable Voices Safety Net Versus All Series Amazon's giving Prime members $1,500 to buy a car through Amazon Autos -- here's how to cash in The offer is available nationwide, but you'll need to be a Prime member purchasing a new vehicle. Tabitha Britt is an award-winning freelance journalist, editor, and SEO/AEO strategist. Aside from reviewing dating apps and sex toys for Mashable, Tabitha is also the founding editor-in-chief of DO YOU ENDO -- a digital magazine by individuals with endometriosis, for individuals with endometriosis. She has a Master's degree in Creative Publishing and Critical Journalism from The New School for Social Research and is a grad of Sextech School. You can find more of her work in various online publications, including,, and .

These tech deals are at their lowest prices. If you make a purchase by clicking one of our links, we may earn a small share of the revenue. However, our picks and opinions are independent from USA Today's newsroom and any business incentives. With Prime Day slowly approaching, Amazon is already prepping shoppers with amazing deals with the leading Deals of the Day only available to those with Prime memberships. If you don't have it and don't want to pay for it, you can always get the free 30-day trial to get in on these savings.

Prime Day 2018 will begin on July 16. Amazon Prime members can once again look forward to getting steep discounts gadgets, things for your home, travel gear, and more. While Amazon's Prime Day is not as big as Black Friday (yet), at least you don't have to endure the psychological trauma of being pushed around in large crowds and waiting in long lines out the door at brick and mortar shops. And an added benefit -- without major gift giving holidays coming up, as Amazon puts it, this is a day to focus on yourself. Prime Day is a time Amazon Prime members can enjoy lightning deals, price cuts, and promotions.

Amazon Prime is considered one of the most successful loyalty programs in retail history. While many believe the success of Amazon Prime revolves around free shipping, it is really the removal of friction and focus on experience that sets it apart. Banking can learn from Amazon Prime. There is no denying the explosive growth and competitive impact of Amazon to the retail industry. For their retail business, the foundation of this success is named Amazon Prime.

Chief Executive Officer of Amazon Jeff Bezos attends The 75th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 7, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California. SAN FRANCISCO -- Nobody ever said original programming was cheap, but an internal Amazon document shows just how expensive it can be -- to the tune of $500 million for a new prequel series of "The Lord of the Rings." Amazon said in November it plans to create a multi-season prequel based on the beloved book series and blockbuster movies that came out of it. Insiders put the cost just for rights at $250 million. Now comes word from a leaked document obtained by Reuters that Amazon could spend another $250 million on production and marketing for the series, bringing the total cost to $500 million.

Amazon is doubling down on the grocery-delivery space. On Thursday, the company announced that it would begin offering free two-hour Whole Foods deliveries for Amazon Prime members. The move may transform the grocery industry and could feasibly threaten the business of competitors such as Instacart--with whom Whole Foods has an existing delivery partnership. But it also raises a number of questions about the logistics of such an endeavor and what it could mean for our roadways, neighborhoods, and labor system. With two-hour delivery, a mere $35 minimum purchase amount, and access to thousands of items, Amazon's program makes sense whether you're doing a bulk grocery order or you've only forgotten a few last-minute dinner essentials.

Vincent Wang needed new jeans and a coat just before classes began this semester at the University of California, Davis, where he studies nutrition. Rather than trek several miles off campus to the nearest Target or Walmart, he ordered the clothes from Amazon.com Inc. and retrieved them from new Amazon pickup lockers right next to the university store that sells Aggies T-shirts and hoodies. Wang, 21, is one of millions of students who have taken advantage of Amazon Prime Student, which offers all the benefits of a regular Prime membership -- quick delivery, music and video streaming and free online photo storage -- for 50 a year, half the regular price. Amazon's strategy echoes the one used for decades by the credit card companies: snag young consumers early and, with artful promotions, try to make them loyal for life. The pickup lockers are just another way to pull students into the Amazon universe, giving them convenient locations to retrieve packages if they're worried about having merchandise sent to dorm rooms and apartments.