Amazon's invite-only deals for Prime Day are seriously impressive: Here's how to shop them

UPDATE: Oct. 10, 2023, 5:45 AM EDT We've updated this story with the latest Amazon invite-only deals available during Prime Big Deal Days, including the 50-inch Omni TV and 50-inch Hisense TV.

Amazon upped the ante for Prime Day 2023 with a new invite-only deals program featuring extra-exclusive doorbusters for select shoppers — and they brought them back for Prime Day 2.

Prime Big Deal Days sale (aka the unofficial Prime Day 2) launched early this morning, and these invite-only deals are still available for early-bird shoppers. Before we get into that, here's what you need to know.

What are invite-only Prime Day deals?

In years past, Amazon Prime Day has typically included a handful of extra hot-ticket deals that appear unexpectedly and sell out quickly. Buying them, or at least trying to, could be a chaotic and frustrating experience.

The idea behind the new invite-only deals is that you don't have to be glued to your computer screen during the sale in order to catch these deep discounts while they're live. Instead, Prime members can request an invite to claim these deals. There's still no guarantee you'll get to add them to your cart, but it formalizes the process and takes the usual Prime Day buying frenzy down a notch.

When you go to request an invite-only deal, Amazon advises customers, "Limited quantities. We won't be able to grant all requests. If invited, you'll get an email notification with a unique link during Prime Big Deal Days (October 10 - October 11, 2023). Limit one per customer."

Prime Day 2 has officially started, and as of this writing, all of the invite-only Prime Day deals featured here are still live.

The fall lineup started with a total of six invite-only deals, including savings of up to 62% or items such as Jabra earbuds, a Philips air fryer, and a Sony soundbar. Days before the event kicked off Amazon added two more deals: 60% off a 50-inch Omni TV and 60% off a 50-inch Hisense Fire TV. It's not the $100 Omni TV we were keeping our fingers crossed for, but it's still a hell of a consolation prize.

Last Prime Day, Amazon offered 10 invite-only deals (adding some at the last minute), so time will tell if we'll see a couple more, or if the TVs checked the box of the last-minute addition.

Who can access invite-only Prime Day deals?

We know pretty much nothing about Amazon's invite-only deal selection process, but we do know that you can only request access if you're a member of its Prime subscription service (paid or trial).

How to shop invite-only Prime Day deals

Shoppers can request invitations to these deals via featured items' product pages in the lead-up to the sale. To request any deals, here's what to do:

1. Navigate to any invite-only item, then hit "Request invite."
2. Amazon will automatically put in your request via the email associated with your account. If you're selected to shop the deal, you'll receive an email or mobile notification (if you have the Amazon app) with a unique link to shop the sale on Oct. 10 or Oct. 11. If you're not selected, you'll also be notified.

That's it — it's literally a two-step process.

Shoppers are eligible to put in one request per item, but you're not limited on how many invite-only deals you can shop. That means at the time of writing, you can put up to six requests. Once you do, you'll be able to see an "invite requested" notice on the product page.

When to shop invite-only deals for Prime Big Deal Days

You can start right now, and we recommend you request your invites ASAP.

If you're holding out for more deals — after all, just a few months ago you could request an invite for the aforementioned $100 Omni TV, an Acer laptop for nearly half its price, and the Foreo Luna 3 for exactly half its price — we don't blame you. But with the recent addition of two Fire TVs for 60% off, there's a decent chance this is the official invite-only lineup.

Still, even if there are more deals to come, since there's no limit to how many invites you can request, there's no real reason to show restraint on deals you're even a little interested in.

The best invite-only Prime Big Deal Days deals

Here are the invite-only deals that are worth the hassle in our book:

Why we like it

At full price, Omni TVs are already our favorite Fire TV option that bring the value. Slash that price by 60%, and you've got a deal that's pretty much unheard of, netting yourself 50 inches of display for just $150. This deal is even $130 cheaper than the 43-inch Omni TV that's also on sale. Beyond the incredible price, you'll get a decent picture and tons of smart features from the Fire platform.

Why we like it

If you're looking for a super affordable 50-inch TV you have two options with invite-only deals. However, if you're big on picture quality, springing the extra $50 for this Hisense QLED TV is more than worth it. QLED will get you a brighter and more precise picture than, say, a 4K LED TV (like the above Omni TV).

Why we like it

Blink outdoor cameras are already one of our favorite security cameras thanks to their two-year battery life. Factor in that the 3-camera set is $150 off with this deal, and a good $20 below its lowest price ever, and this invite-only deal looks even better. Best of all, at $99.99, you get three outdoor security cameras for the price of one.

Why we like it

Our sister site PC Mag (also owned by Ziff Davis) calls these earbuds a "durable, exercise-friendly pair that does everything pretty well" — everything being active noise cancellation, full waterproof capabilities, and a non-slip coating that actually helps keep these earbuds in your ears. For anyone who's been on the hunt for a good pair of buds for exercising, putting in a request for the Jabra Elite 7 Active earbuds is a no-brainer — especially since they're $10 under their lowest price ever.

Why we like it

Air fryers can be a big upgrade to your simple at-home dinner game. The seven presets and digital display on this Philips air fryer make mealtime even simpler. Once you're done cooking, all removable parts of the air fryer are dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup. And if you're looking to put even less brain power into what to eat (we feel you), the Philips Kitchen+ app comes with plenty of healthy recipe ideas.

Why we like it

We've never seen this SodaStream bundle at a price this low before, which makes this Amazon invite-only deal a great time to take advantage of DIY sparkling water at the push of a button. The kit gives you everything you need to jumpstart your SodaStream journey, including two Co2 cylinders, two dishwasher-safe bottles, the actual carbonation machine, and two Bubly packs to add some flavor to your daily hydration. SodaStream might've been all the rage about a decade ago, but it still holds the power to upgrade your entire kitchen setup in 2023.

Why we like it

The HT-X8500 Sony soundbar has some seriously cool features, like seven different sound modes, deep bass activation, voice enhancement, and Vertical Surround Engine technology. The best part? It's not only slim and minimalistic, but it's also Bluetooth compatible, giving you the chance to pair it with a TV, phone, or even tablet. Click that "Request invite" button on this audio gadget while you still can.