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How To Shop Smart As Amazon Prime Days Get Underway

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- They're here! Amazon Prime Days are officially underway.

Considered the Black Friday of summer, Amazon is offering discounts and competitors are doing the same.

KDKA's John Shumway took a look at the hype behind the big shopping day.

You certainly can find some deals on Amazon and beyond, but you have to be a smart consumer and learn to play their game, as this has become a major retail deal.

Not only does Amazon sell a lot of different items, they also sell a lot of Prime memberships, so getting that subscription number is very important for them.

Other big stores like Walmart, Target, or Best Buy have become convinced that they all have to sales around the same time.

CNET's Senior Managing Editor Dan Ackerman says it's important to remember that you need to be a Prime member in order to get the deals Amazon is offering.

Ackerman says there are different things to weigh and factor when considering if a membership is right for you -- with the free shipping that comes with the $120 yearly membership as an example.

Ackerman also mentioned that if you're totally against the yearly membership, Amazon does offer a trial membership that could carry you through Prime Day.

When it comes to Amazon-owned products such as Echo, Ring, and Kindle, the discounts can be significant.

Ackerman says it's a good idea to have an estimate of what things cost normally. He says sometimes things that shout 'sale,' really aren't that good of a deal.

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