Amazon Prime Day alternatives - we look at some of the great sales you can expect to find elsewhere

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Consumer technology writer Gareth Butterfield has suggested some other avenues for big savings as the Amazon Prime Day event prepares to kick off

The whole point of Amazon Prime Day is to funnel online shoppers straight to Amazon's website. The millions spent on marketing the two-day event is pretty effective, and it's easy to get sucked in to the whirlpool of wonder.

But it's not as if all the other big retailers out there want to just sit back and take it on the chin. Competition from all the other corners of the internet is likely to be fierce, so it's well worth checking out some other online marketplaces to see what they're responding with.

The savvy shopper, then, will be diverting from the daily deals on Amazon and seeking out big savings on other sites. These might not be so hotly contested, so there might be more stock, or there might be huge discounts lurking that few people have spotted.

Amazon won’t be the only retailer hosting a sale eventAmazon won’t be the only retailer hosting a sale event
Amazon won’t be the only retailer hosting a sale event | John Devlin

This year, I reckon the first place to look at for some big savings will be eBay. It's arguably Amazon's largest competitor, and its mix of direct sellers and third-party traders gives it a similar setup behind the scenes.

While some of eBay's biggest business sellers will just accept it's going to be a quiet week, there will be plenty who will be watching Amazon's deals closely and responding by knocking money off their products to either match or beat the Amazon price. Check out the deals page here.

Away from the big marketplaces, it's worth remembering the brands themselves might be matching Amazon's prices. Loads of big manufacturers sell their products on Amazon's website, often through dedicated pages, but they're also more than happy to sell directly to the consumer from their own websites.

This is something you should always cross-check, as you might occasionally find that, if you buy directly, you might get a freebie thrown in, or you might even get a better bundle deal.

Just remember that, as a Prime member, Amazon will give you fast and free delivery, which won't always be the case if you're dealing direct.

Other big names to check throughout the Prime Day event, which takes place this year on Tuesday, July 16 and Wednesday, July 17, include Currys, John Lewis, Dunelm, Boots, River Island, Samsung, The Range, and M&S.

Also keep in mind the brands that don't have much of a presence on Amazon, because these might be doing some sneaky deals. Dyson, for example, doesn't really appear on Amazon all that often, but some retailers such as Argos and Currys might respond with an offer or two.