Amazon/ZDNETAmazon has had a busy last few weeks. After a smashing Devices and Services event last month, at which the company unveiled new Alexa upgrades and teased Alexa+ companion devices on the horizon soon, the retail giant is looking to get back to its roots: online shopping.With President's Day behind us, ZDNET's team of experts is gearing up for the second annual Amazon Big Spring Sale. As ZDNET's deal connoisseur, I'm using my extensive hands-on tech experience and seasoned commerce skills to cover all things sales and deals, including breaking down everything you need to know to shop like a pro any time of the year. Amazon is springing into spring with new chances to save big. Last year, the retail giant announced its first-ever Big Spring Sale event from March 20-25. Amazon slashed prices and offered near-holiday-priced deals on tablets, TVs, headphones, robot vacuums, home goods, and popular flagship Amazon products. I expect the sale to return this year, plus many of the same deals.Amazon has not officially confirmed the Big Spring Sale for 2025, nor has the brand publicized any specific sale dates. However, ZDNET's research reveals that the Spring Sale will likely return. Conversations on Amazon's seller forum reveal the News_Amazon account encouraging sellers to submit deals for the "Big Spring Sale" by March 17, 2025. Based on this knowledge, I expect Amazon's spring sale event to kick off sometime afterward, likely during the last week of the month. Until then, I'll keep you posted with everything there is to know about Amazon's incoming Big Spring Sale, so check back here as more information becomes available. When is Amazon's Big Spring Sale? Amazon has not confirmed 2025's Big Spring Sale dates, but based on ZDNET's research, I expect the seasonal savings events to return sometime after March 17, 2025. Our best estimates place the sale sometime after March 20, when it kicked off last year. In 2024, the Big Spring sale lasted through March 25. Show more What is Amazon's Big Spring Sale? Amazon frequently runs sales several times during the year, and I saw tons of products discounted ahead of President's Day last month. Its most popular Prime Day sales occur in Oct. and July.Last year, Amazon introduced the Big Spring Sale, signaling a new annual sale event on the retail giant's calendar. It was not a Prime-exclusive event. However, expect to see select exclusive Prime member offers.Also: Everything you need to know about Alexa+, Amazon's new generative AI assistantEssentially, what you can expect from Amazon is tons of deals across almost every product category, all available for a limited time. Show more Do I have to be a Prime member to shop Amazon's Big Spring Sale? No, you don't have to be a Prime member to shop this sale event. All customers can shop the Amazon Big Spring Sale, although, like last year, Prime members will presumably have special access to select exclusive deals.If you're not a Prime member yet, you canjoinbefore the Big Spring Sale kickoff to receivemember benefitslike free shipping, entertainment, exclusive savings, and more. Show more How much is an Amazon Prime membership? Amazon Prime costs $15 per month, or you can purchase an annual membership for $139, savingseveral dollars.College students and those aged 18-24can get a discount and pay nearly $8 per month or $69 per year. In addition, those with qualified government assistance (which may include select seniors) canreceive a Prime membershipfor just $7 per month after their free trial. Show more How can I maximize the Big Spring Sale to save? As a commerce and advice editor, I can recommend a few things to help you maximize Amazon's sales. If you want to shop the sale, you'll want to access a Prime account, even if the Big Spring Sale is not a Prime-exclusive event. In addition to free two-day shipping, membership is easy to set up and gives you access to exclusive offers on the site. Plus, you canuse a free trialto shop for the best savings without spending a dime on a membership.If you end up starting a free trial (or already have Prime), ensure your payment options (like one-click settings and your default delivery address) are correct. This way, you can check out quickly if you need to during the sale.Also:7 exciting AI features coming with Alexa+ (and what Amazon devices support it)Other ways to prepare for spring savings include researching and planning potential purchases, listing want and need items, and setting a budget before sales. Show more When is the next Prime Day? October Prime Day returned Oct. 8-9, 2024. If Amazon sticks to its typical sale calendar, the next Prime Day sale (and the first of 2025) will likely be in July. However, there are still a few more chances to save until then, including during the Big Spring Sale. Show more What types of deals can I find during the Amazon Big Spring Sale? Last year, Amazon offered customers 50% (or sometimes more) off products across multiple categories, such as beauty, sports and outdoor, home, apparel, and electronics. This year, I'm expecting much of the same, but we will know more when Amazon eventually announces the dates of the Big Spring Sale, plus some extra info on what we can expect. Show more How long will Amazon's Spring Sale deals last? Last year, Amazon's Big Spring Sale ran March 20-25, so expect multiple days of deals and plenty of opportunities to save this year. However, as with all sale events, there will be lingering offers from Amazon and competing retailers after the official sale ends. The ZDNET team will cover the best deals on top-tested tech before, during, and after the Big Spring Sale, so I'll keep you posted. Show more Are there already Amazon Big Spring Sale deals I can shop right now? Although the Big Spring Sale likely doesn't officially kick off for a few weeks, the retail giant always has many discounted products. We spend time shopping for the best Amazon deals available daily, no matter the time of year, to bring serious savings to our ZDNET readers. Show more Are other retailers participating in Amazon's Spring Sale? Last year, several retailers jumped on the spring sale train and offered seasonal savings that overlapped with, preceded, or followed Amazon's Big Spring Sale. This year, we expect similar concurrent sales again, likely from other major competitors like Target, Walmart, Best Buy, and more. At the very least, expect many retailers to drop their prices to match Amazon's and give customers like you a choice of where to buy from. Show more Why trust ZDNET to help you shop? As a member of the ZDNET staff, I only write about deals myself or a team member would want to buy -- devices and products we desire, need, or would recommend. I look for deals where products are at least 20% off (or hardly ever on sale), using established price comparison tools and trackers to determine whether the deal is on sale and how frequently it drops.I also look over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the deals I recommend. These recommendations may also be based on my testing (or testing by another ZDNET expert), plus extensive research and comparison shopping. The goal is to deliver the most accurate advice to help you shop smarter. ZDNET offers 33 years of experience, 30 hands-on product reviewers, and 10,000 square feet of lab space to ensure we bring you the best tech.Plus, in 2025, ZDNET refined its approach to deals, developing a measurable system for sharing savings with readers like you. Our editor's deal rating badges are affixed to most of our deal content, making it easy to interpret our expertise to help you make the best purchase decision. Show more Amazon Spring Sale 2025