Is October Prime Day the New Black Friday?

Every year, it feels like the holiday shopping season starts earlier and earlier. Amazon’s October Prime Day, now called Prime Big Deal Days, has started to rival Black Friday as the big moment for deals. People are asking, is October Prime Day the new Black Friday? If you’re already planning your shopping for next year, you might be wondering: When is Prime Day 2025? It’s set for October 7-8, right after the summer event in July. With two huge sale days so close together, it’s getting harder to tell which one is the main event. Let’s look at how these two shopping giants stack up and what it means for brands, shoppers, and influencers.

Key Takeaways

• Prime Day 2025 is scheduled for October 7-8, following the July summer event.
• October Prime Day is starting to challenge Black Friday for the best deals, especially on beauty, Amazon devices, and household basics.
• Black Friday still leads for big-ticket items like TVs and laptops, but Prime Day is catching up in other categories.
• Influencer marketing is now a big part of both events, with brands and creators working together to drive sales.
• If you’re running an influencer campaign, plan ahead for both Prime Day and Black Friday to make the most of these major shopping events.

Prime Day vs. Black Friday: The Two Pillars of Modern Holiday Shopping

There’s something oddly exciting about watching both October Prime Day and Black Friday approach every year. These two massive shopping events have shifted how and when people buy everything from gadgets to cozy socks for winter. In some ways, they're starting to bleed into each other—competing to offer the best deals on big-ticket items like Apple Watches, iPads, and smart TVs. Major brands and products often turn up in both, with deep discounts fueling an early holiday shopping rush.

Here's a quick look at how each event compares:

Both events offer a chance to snatch up serious savings, but their strengths are different. For instance, people flock to Prime Day for Amazon’s own devices, must-have beauty treats, and seasonal home upgrades, while Black Friday is king for electronics and bigger brands you might not see on Prime Day.

• Prime Day: Best for tech tied to Amazon, exclusive Prime member deals, and early holiday prep
• Black Friday: Wider retailer participation, deeper discounts on large electronics and appliances
• Both events prompt early shoppers to strategize well before December

Some shoppers love getting their lists sorted in October, scoring early deals and avoiding last-minute rush. Others still wait to see if Black Friday will beat those prices – and sometimes, it does. That suspense is half the fun.

Deciding which is better really depends on what you’re after and how much you care about timing, perks, and product selection. Either way, these two sales have totally changed the holiday shopping calendar.

Prime Day Deals & Buying Patterns

Prime Day, especially the October Prime Day (sometimes called Prime Big Deal Days or Fall Prime Day), is no longer just Amazon’s mid-year sales event—it’s reshaping how shoppers prep for the holidays. These October blowout sales are now rivaling Black Friday in both hype and shopper turnout, but they each carve out a pretty distinct shopping experience.

Here’s what’s showing up in the latest Prime Day shopping trends:

• Savings top the list, especially on Amazon devices, beauty products, luggage, household essentials, and seasonal items like outdoor furniture and holiday decor.
• Consumer behavior around Prime Day has shifted—folks are jumping on deals earlier, using the event to snag gifts and essentials ahead of the crowded holiday season.
• Many Prime Day deals stick around after the official dates, letting people catch late discounts without the rush.

A lot of people hold off on big purchases until Prime Day rolls around, with some categories getting steeper discounts now than on Black Friday itself. Here’s a peek at the best products to sell on Prime Day based on recent shopping habits:

Prime Day is starting to feel less like a mid-year sales pit-stop and more like a countdown to the holidays. Shoppers use October Prime Day to secure deals on gifts and home goods, so by the time Black Friday rolls around, their carts are already half empty.

There’s no denying Amazon Prime Day sets the tone for fall shopping. It’s less about impulse buying and more strategic: plan, pounce, save. If you’re looking to get ahead—either as a shopper or a seller—keeping an eye on these Prime Day shopping trends could mean snagging the best deals or making the best sales before the holiday crunch even begins.

The Influencer Marketing Scene During Prime Day

Prime Day in October is a huge moment for Influencer Marketing and Creator Marketing—some would even call it a test run for Black Friday. Brands and creators have learned to work closely to create real-time, deal-focused content that converts quickly.

Here's how the Prime Day influencer scene shapes up:

• Influencers create buzz with limited-time deals on social platforms, especially Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts.
• Many creators use live-streaming to demo products, answer questions, and even give instant feedback about deals.
• Niche creators—from beauty gurus to tech reviewers—tend to see the highest conversion rates, especially in categories where discounts are hard to find the rest of the year.

During Prime Day, it’s all about quick content cycles, direct shopping links, and making the most of trending hashtags. Creators who can adapt fast grab the biggest audiences—and the best commissions.

Influencer Marketing for Prime Day often starts a week before, building out lists of the best deals and prepping followers to act fast. The cycle is short but intense—creators who plan right can see Black Friday–level returns in just two days.

So, how do you find these perfect matches?
Look for quality of engagement and authenticity. Often, micro-influencers drive higher conversions than their macro counterparts, thanks to fiercely loyal communities that trust their genuine recommendations.

This is where SocialBook transforms the process. Why spend weeks manually searching when you can pinpoint your ideal partners in hours?

SocialBook gives you a competitive edge with:

• A Vast, Verified Network: Access over 20 million authentic creators, ready for collaboration.
• AI-Powered Precision: Our advanced search goes beyond basic demographics. Filter by nuanced factors like brand alignment, audience interests, and proven engagement to find creators who don’t just have an audience, but your audience.
• Seamless CRM Integration: Connect your customer database to identify and invite your own loyal customers who are also creators—a strategy that boosts collaboration acceptance rates by 7x.

Stop guessing and start partnering with the creators who will deliver real ROI this Black Friday. Let SocialBook handle the discovery, so you can focus on the campaign that drives sales.

Black Friday – Staying ahead in high-value item sales

Black Friday is still the first thing most people think of when it comes to shopping for expensive products and big-ticket tech. When folks want serious markdowns on electronics or appliances, Black Friday wins every time. Tablets, laptops, smart TVs, and top-of-the-line gadgets often see their lowest prices of the year during this event. Unlike newer shopping holidays, Black Friday's reputation for unbelievable discounts, especially for these high-value items, isn't just talk.

Here’s a look at why Black Friday stays ahead for big purchases:

• Retailers hang their best deals on electronics, home goods, and smart devices for Black Friday (think laptops marked down hundreds of dollars, or smart appliances at clearance prices).
• Many consumers actually time their purchases to this sale day, often waiting months for that perfect combination of price slashes and bundles.
• High competition among both online and in-store sellers leads to eye-catching doorbusters you don’t really see at other holiday sales.

Shoppers are still holding out for Black Friday to make those bigger spends, even as they plan to cut back on nonessential buys like luxury goods reduce spending on nonessential items.

Basically, October shopping events might warm people up for the season, but Black Friday is still where the real heavy-hitting purchases happen. If you’ve been saving up for months or hunting for that once-a-year deal, this is the time you’re probably targeting.

Black Friday Deals & Consumer Behavior

Black Friday has long been the main event for Holiday Shopping, famous for eye-popping discounts and frenzied crowds. In 2025, online and in-store shoppers still see Black Friday as the big chance to snag high-value electronics, home goods, and fashion at some of the year’s lowest prices. It’s the moment when retailers unleash doorbusters, and everyone updates their Holiday Shopping Strategy.

Some key trends seen year over year include:

• Electronics dominate the wishlist—think TVs, laptops, tablets, and smart tech. Bundled discounts or free add-ons are common.
• Apparel and accessories sales surge, with shoppers drawn to winter essentials, sneakers, and luxury brands dropping steep price cuts.
• Home improvement and kitchen gadgets—often skipped during Prime Day—see aggressive sales, making Black Friday the top pick for those upgrades.
• Toys, beauty, and games are also strong, with parents and gift-givers looking to get ahead before December.
• Buy-online-pickup-in-store (BOPIS) and curbside pickup continue to gain ground, letting shoppers avoid crowds but still secure hot deals.

Here's a simple snapshot of how shopping spikes throughout the week:

Shoppers know: if you’re after big-ticket items, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are when to jump. There’s a certain thrill in the anticipation—everyone’s hoping to score the deal they’ll talk about all year.

Retailers, meanwhile, start rolling out mini-sales weeks ahead. But the biggest bargains—and the most buzz—still cluster right around Thanksgiving, making Black Friday a calendar fixture, no matter how many other deal days pop up in October.

Black Friday Influencer Marketing Overview

Black Friday is still the main event for almost everyone in e-commerce. Brand and retailer budgets are high, influencer campaigns fill feeds, and social media noise becomes nearly impossible to ignore. Every year, influencer marketing for Black Friday gets a bit noisier and a bit trickier, but also more inventive.

Here’s what shapes the landscape now:

• Shoppers trust real people (not just glossy ads) to vote with their wallets, so creators focused on practicality and authenticity tend to get stronger results.
• Short-form video—think TikTok hauls, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts—drives a lot of action, especially for gadgets, beauty, and fashion deals.
• Partnerships start earlier and last longer, but the main push still happens in the week before Black Friday and peaks on the day itself.

Brands aren’t just chasing big names. Micro-influencers get a lot of deals because their followers see them as friends—not as faceless promoters. As ad costs go up, these smaller creators are also more cost-effective for brands.

Manually searching for these creators is a time-consuming grind. This is where a tool like SocialBook  turns the tables, allowing you to precisely filter influencers by engagement rate, audience demographics, niche, and more to find your perfect match in minutes.

Brands that work closely with influencers on storytelling—not just coupon blasts—stand out in the crowded Black Friday scroll. People want to watch someone actually use a product, wrap it up as a gift, or share their own excitement.

In the end, successful Black Friday campaigns remember it's not just about sales. It’s about who shoppers feel connected to, and which faces they’ll trust when the next deal drops.

What steps should you take to get your influencer campaign ready for this October’s Prime Day?

Getting your influencer marketing plan ready for October’s Prime Day takes some groundwork. October deals are now big business, stretching well beyond typical summer fare. Here's how you can set up your campaign to catch shoppers before Black Friday is even on their radar.

Start by clarifying your goals: are you after brand awareness, more affiliate clicks, or moving certain stock before the holidays? If affiliate marketing for Prime Day is your focus, picking the right mix of deals and partners becomes key.

• Give influencers early info: Get embargoed deals, custom links, and assets out quickly so creators can prep posts, emails, and stories before the crowd arrives. The better your organization here, the more likely their posts will stand out—especially in categories like beauty or home goods, which often sell out fast.
• Tailor content for Prime Day urgency: Influencers should use countdowns, live streams, or their authentic "I can't believe this price" reactions. These work best where limited-time discounts or low stock drive shoppers to act now, rather than later.
• Mix product categories: Be strategic about which items get pushed. Data shows October Prime Day often brings bigger savings on beauty, home, travel gear, and seasonal goods. Electronics may still rule Black Friday, but Prime Day has its own strength. Below is a quick breakdown:

• Prep for comparison shopping: Since Black Friday is top-of-mind, encourage influencers to show why this October event shouldn't be ignored—whether it’s savings, availability, or early holiday shopping.
• Don’t forget disclosures: Even if you’re moving quick, clear labeling of "paid partnership" or affiliate links is required.

October Prime Day is no longer a dry run for Black Friday. Brands ready with authentic influencers, crisp creative, and a smart product slate can capture shoppers right as gift-buying begins.

Dual Events. One Major Opportunity.

If you’re aiming for max savings and want to get ahead with your holiday shopping list, this is the season to pay attention. Both October Prime Day and Black Friday bring distinct advantages to the table, making it possible for savvy shoppers and brands to score big—sometimes faster than you’d expect. For those of us watching the prices, it’s now pretty normal to see deals dropping on essentials, gadgets, luggage, household goods, and holiday gifts, weeks ahead of Black Friday.

Here’s how these back-to-back events set the stage:

• Prime Day’s October event features deep discounts across categories usually ignored on Black Friday, like household staples and beauty tech.
• Black Friday remains the moment for higher-ticket items: think TVs, laptops, winter gear, and appliances.
• Both events are used by brands and influencers as kick-off points for the busiest shopping stretch of the year.

The weeks between Prime Day and Black Friday are no longer downtime—they’re a period filled with rolling sales. Shoppers can pick up gifts or gear at a discount before the rush, and brands can build momentum that lasts through the holidays.

So, don’t sit back and wait for only one event. If you time it right, you really can get the best of both worlds in just one season.

Conclusion

October Prime Day and Black Friday aren't competing events—they're a powerful one-two punch for your holiday sales. To win both, you need a strategy that moves at the speed of commerce. With SocialBook, you can effortlessly find the authentic creators who will drive your campaigns, turning this dual shopping season into your biggest revenue opportunity yet.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is October Prime Day 2025?

October Prime Day 2025, also known as Prime Big Deal Days, will be held from Tuesday, October 7 at 12:01 a.m. PT to Wednesday, October 8 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Do I need an Amazon Prime membership to shop during Prime Day?

Yes, you need to be an Amazon Prime member to access Prime Day deals. If you’re not a member, you can sign up for a 30-day free trial to shop the event.

How are October Prime Day deals different from Black Friday deals?

October Prime Day usually has bigger discounts on beauty products, Amazon devices, luggage, and household items, while Black Friday often offers better deals on electronics and high-value items like TVs and laptops.

Are Prime Day deals as good as Black Friday deals?

In some categories, Prime Day deals are just as good or even better than Black Friday deals, especially for Amazon brands and everyday essentials. But for big electronics and certain brands, Black Friday may still have the best prices.

Can I find early holiday gifts during October Prime Day?

Yes! October Prime Day is a great chance to buy holiday gifts early, so you can avoid last-minute shopping and shipping delays. Many popular items go on sale, making it a smart time to shop ahead.

How can I get ready for Prime Day as a shopper or influencer?

Make a list of what you want, follow your favorite influencers for tips, and sign up for deal alerts. If you’re an influencer, plan your content in advance and share your best finds with your followers before and during the event.