Get ‘Primed’ for the deals

While there are sure to be lots of super-deep discounts on Wednesday — aka Amazon’s Prime Day — there will likewise be average sales you can find elsewhere for less.

Shop smart by following this guide for avoiding Prime Day pitfalls to distinguish the real deals from the duds.

• Sign up for free. Even if you’re not a member of Amazon Prime, you can still access Prime Day deals by enrolling in a 30-day free trial without committing to the $99 annual fee (Amazon, of course, is hoping you decide to sign up permanently).

You’ll need to cancel your trial within 30 days from the date you registered to avoid being charged.

• Make a list. With Amazon touting better deals than Black Friday, your impulse control might be lacking. Make a list of items you’ve been wanting to purchase, and keep your searches limited to your list to avoid going over budget.

• Research now. Start checking on prices before Wednesday to ensure that great deal from Amazon is, in fact, a great deal. Track items using TrackIf.com, which not only notifies you about price drops, but lets you access a product’s price history. PriceBlink.com notifies you when an item has a better price elsewhere.

• Check reviews. Some of the sales you’ll find may be offered on brands or models you’re unfamiliar with, so it’s important to verify quality.

If you can’t find a product review on Amazon, a site such as Buzzillions.com offers trusted consumer comments on a wide variety of items.

• Prep your cart. Popular items will sell out quickly, so it pays to load your cart with the items you’re eyeing even if you can’t predict which goods will be on sale beforehand. Loading up your cart in advance of the sale will ensure you don’t miss out on the doorbusters.