Amazon Starts October Prime Day Deals Up to 80% Off Ahead of Oct. 6-7 Event

Q: Are Amazon’s first Apple Watch Ultra 4 and Series 12 discounts worth grabbing now, or are bigger Prime Day cuts still ahead?

If you want either watch now, these early Amazon discounts are reasonable to grab; if you’re simply hunting for the absolute lowest price, it still makes sense to wait for Prime Big Deal Days. The current cuts are modest but notable for brand-new Apple hardware. The Apple Watch Ultra 4 at $779.99 is $19 off and matches the lowest launch-period discount pattern seen on prior Ultra models. Reporting tied to past Prime Day pricing suggests the Ultra 4 may not drop much further during the October 6–7 event, at least not in widely available configurations. In that sense, this is already a strong “buy now” price for anyone who wants the Ultra 4 immediately. The Series 12 deals are smaller. The 42mm GPS at $389.99 and 46mm GPS at $439.99 are only $9 off, though they are the best prices tracked so far. Historical patterns suggest Apple’s newest standard watch often sees only limited markdowns early in its life cycle, so Prime Day may bring only slightly better pricing, if any, on the newest base models. The real reason to wait is flexibility. Prime Day could expand discounts to more colors, bands and cellular versions, and rival retailers may respond. But there is also some risk that today’s discounted Ultra 4 configurations sell out. For buyers who need the watch now or want a specific discounted Ultra 4 model, these deals are worth taking. For shoppers focused purely on maximum savings, especially on Series 12, waiting a few more days is the better bet.

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo · Sep 29

Amazon began rolling out early Prime Big Deal Days discounts before its Oct. 6-7 sale, with markdowns already live across Apple, Lego, Yeti, Shark and other brands.
Up to 80% off promotions span tech, home, kitchen, style and beauty, with several items flagged at or near record lows, including Ring bundles, Fire TV Sticks, AirTags and vacuums.
Prime-only pricing applies to some offers, though Amazon is also using the early push to attract shoppers with a 30-day free trial and free shipping thresholds for nonmembers.
The advance discounts extend Amazon's broader pre-event strategy, following earlier Apple Watch markdowns and giving shoppers a head start on holiday gifts before the main October sale.