3 Ways AI Can Help You Shop Smarter on Prime Day

Multiday sales like Amazon Prime Day — July 8 to 11 this year — can feel overwhelming. They can also lead to impulse buying and financial regret. AI tools like ChatGPT and browser add-ons can help you shop smarter.

Shoppers are increasingly using AI to help them shop, according to a February 2025 study by Adobe for Business. Some 39% of consumers reported using AI platforms for online shopping and 14% said they plan to use it soon.

Because no single AI platform can do everything you need for a sale like Prime Day, we’ve outlined three types of AI-powered tools to help you set your priorities, track sales and make fast decisions so you don’t miss that lightning deal — or bust your budget.

In the days leading up to the sale, take inventory of your needs and wants and define your budget. Use ChatGPT, Google Gemini or Claude to help you organize your wishlist into categories (toys, home, beauty, electronics, etc.).

A prompt might look something like this:

Help me build a shopping list for Amazon Prime Day. I have a budget of $250 and a larger wishlist I’m working from. Please help me organize my list by category and prioritize items as needs or wants.

My list includes a scooter for my toddler, Gabby’s Dollhouse Celebration Dollhouse for my 5-year-old daughter, ceramic baking items from OXO, and some back-to-school supplies like a lunchbox, water bottles and backpack.

ChatGPT organized my results based on high-priority needs (the school supplies) to lower priority wants (the bakeware).

It estimated total costs for each section: $60-95 for the school supplies, $90-$100 for the medium-priority toys and scooter and $20-$60 for the kitchen items.

I used this opportunity to refine my list.

You can write a new prompt that includes your preferences, such as a specific color or brand, or ask for good-value alternatives to save room in your budget.

In my case, I wanted a specific brand of scooter. With that new information, ChatGPT identified a regular price of $90-100 but estimated the Prime Day price might be between $70-85.

It then revamped my total budget breakdown and told me to stick to mid-range pricing on school supplies to make it work.

Once you’ve narrowed down your shopping list, add the items to an Amazon Wishlist. It’s helpful to see everything in one place and you can monitor prices in the days leading up to the sale.

Because generative AI assistants, like ChatGPT, don’t have live access to the Internet, they can’t pull real-time prices.

To take your shopping to the next level, install a free browser plug-in. CamelCamelCamel, PayPal Honey and Keepa are popular options to track prices, set price alerts and get coupon codes that can help you save even more at checkout.

CamelCamelCamel shows Amazon prices over time and sends an alert when a price drops.

With Honey, you can build a droplist of items you’re price watching and be alerted when the price drops. It automatically applies coupon codes at checkout to stack savings.

Honey also tracks prices at Target and Walmart, which are also having big summer sales. Target Circle Week runs July 6-11. The Walmart Deals sale runs July 8-13.

With your plug-in of choice installed, visit product pages and flag items on your list for the browser extension to watch. Then add them to a wishlist.

Once the Prime Day sale goes live, use Amazon’s AI tools to make speedy decisions.

Short product summaries are found on most product pages. AI tools aggregate and summarize consumer reviews and sometimes will even tell you whether the item is frequently returned or kept.

Reading this short summary can help you decide between two similar options or dissuade you from making a purchase previous customers regret or returned.

You can quickly read what customers have to say about their purchase and click on links below to learn more about its positive features or customer complaints.

Ask Alexa to notify you when the item you’re eyeing goes on sale. You can access Alexa through your Echo device or the Alexa app. Simply say, “Alexa, notify me when [product name] goes on sale.”

When that item does go on sale, you could be notified a few ways: the light ring will change color on your Echo device, or you’ll receive a push notification on your phone.

Use exact product names and make sure your notifications are enabled to make this option run smoother.

The best way to make sure you’re getting the best deal is “to check the prices of what you’re thinking of buying ahead of time,” Samantha Gordon, deals editor at Consumer Reports, said in an email interview.

“I’ve seen merchants increase the prices in the days before Prime Day begins, just to drop them back down to the same sale price they’ve offered for days or even weeks, or months,” Gordon said.

“It creates the illusion of a deep discount when it’s really the same offer that you’d be able to get year-round. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad price, but it makes shoppers feel a sense of urgency when there’s no need.”

Using AI to shop during major sales like Prime Day can be a game-changer for saving time and money.

But, AI tools come with a few trade-offs that require the right tools, thoughtful prompts, and a bit of online vigilance.

• Efficiency: AI tools can streamline the research process, help prioritize high-discount items and sort needs vs. wants. 

• Personalization: AI can help tailor your shopping lists based on your habits, preferences and budget. 

• Deal optimization: AI browser extensions can track price history or suggest alternatives with better ratings or prices. 

• Prompts matter: Writing a detailed prompt can take multiple attempts. The more detailed your question, the better the output is likely to be. 

• Need multiple tools: Because generative AI like ChatGPT can’t help track prices in real time on sale days, you’ll need to use a few AI tools to prep, research and execute. 

• Must be “plugged in”: AI tools require you to be chronically online during sale days to see notifications and act accordingly. 

I’ve done my homework, with a little help from AI: my wishlist is sorted, my droplist is ready, and AI is standing by. Now it’s just a waiting game to see if the deals actually deliver.