Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days runs Oct. 6 and 7, starting at 3:01 a.m. ET. And some Prime members are getting up to $200 back from the FTC settlement, automatically.
Amazon’s October Prime Day is almost here. The sale, officially called Prime Big Deal Days, starts Tuesday, Oct. 6, and runs for 48 hours.
It kicks off at 12:01 a.m. PT, which is 3:01 a.m. ET for everybody on the East Coast who planned on being asleep.
There’s also money going the other direction this month. Some Prime members are getting refunds of up to $200 from the Federal Trade Commission‘s settlement with Amazon, and they don’t have to do anything to get them.
What time does Prime Big Deal Days start and end?
The sale runs Oct. 6 and 7 in 22 countries, including the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Mexico and Japan. Dates can vary outside the U.S.
Amazon is dropping new deals three times a day: midnight, 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Pacific. On Eastern time, that’s 3 a.m., 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.
So if you’re shopping from the East Coast, the late-morning and late-afternoon drops are the ones you can catch without an alarm.
Do you need Prime to shop Prime Big Deal Days?
Yes. The deals are for Prime members only.
Prime costs $14.99 a month or $139 a year. There’s a free 30-day trial, and Amazon has cheaper plans for young adults at $7.49 a month and for people on qualifying government assistance through Prime Access at $6.99 a month.
If you sign up for the trial just for the sale, remember it turns into a paid membership after 30 days unless you cancel.
What’s on sale for Prime Big Deal Days?
Amazon’s preview names brands like Shark, UGG, Barefoot Dreams, Soundcore and FAO Schwarz, the toy store, along with deals on beauty, tech, kitchen, fashion, home and groceries. There’s a Halloween category too, if you’re still missing a costume.
Amazon’s preview doesn’t list any Disney or other character deals. If any turn up, they’ll be in the toys and collectibles sections once the sale starts, so check there Tuesday instead of trusting a list from last week.
This year Amazon is also pushing its shopping tools. You can set deal alerts, see price history going back up to 365 days and even tell Alexa to buy something automatically if it drops to a price you pick.
Use that price history tool. A “deal” that’s the same price the item was in August isn’t much of a deal.
Who is getting an Amazon Prime refund?
Short answer: more people than before.
In September 2025, Amazon settled with the FTC over claims it signed people up for Prime without clear consent and made it too hard to cancel. Amazon agreed to pay $2.5 billion, with up to $1.5 billion of that set aside for customers.
On Sept. 17, 2026, the FTC expanded who gets paid. The first round covered people who used fewer than 10 Prime benefits in a year. Now people who used 11 to 20 benefits qualify too.
The cap went up as well. Payments that used to top out at $51 can now reach $200. People who already got a refund can get up to $149 more.
When will Amazon Prime refunds arrive?
Payments to newly eligible people started going out Oct. 1, and the FTC says everything from here is automatic. No claim form, no paperwork. Money arrives by Venmo, PayPal or a mailed check.
The extra payments for people who already got a refund are due to start by April 2027.
As of September, Amazon had paid out more than $845 million. That’s about 56 percent of the $1.5 billion set aside, which leaves roughly $655 million still to go.
Prime Day shopping tips for this week
Make your list before the 3 a.m. drop. It’s easy to fill a cart with stuff you didn’t want at midnight.
Check price history on anything big, and compare it against Target and Walmart before you buy.
And if you joined Prime with a free trial, put the cancellation date on your calendar now. After the year Amazon’s had with the FTC, it’s probably easier to cancel than it used to be. Probably.
Article compiled with the help of the Pirates & Princesses newsroom.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
Federal Trade Commission (Sept. 17, 2026), expanded Prime refund eligibility, the $200 cap, payment timing and the $845 million paid so far
Amazon (Sept. 15, 2026), Prime Big Deal Days dates, start time, deal drops, countries, brands, Prime prices and shopping tools
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