5 hidden Amazon Prime gems

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There's not long to go now until Amazon Prime Day 2018. The event, which is touted as the retail giant's summer version of Black Friday, kicks off at noon on Monday 16 July, with deals being released worldwide until midnight on Tuesday 17 July (read more here). 

Although this event is exclusively for Prime members, the savvy amongst you will have realised you can get all these bargains on a free Amazon Prime trial. If you're thinking of signing up and cancelling after Prime Day is over, you'll be perfectly able to do that. However, we've unearthed some unexpected perks that might make you rethink. Scroll down for five hidden Amazon Prime gems.

What's more, this year's Prime Day will be the longest yet. Shoppers will have a whopping 36 hours to snap up bargains, compared to the 30 hours of deals in 2017. More countries than ever are able to take part, so the event promises to be a great chance to grab massive savings on equipment and tools for graphic designers.

To take advantage of the discounts available on the day, you need to be a Prime subscriber. Fortunately, this includes members who sign up for a 30-day trial. And with the option to cancel your trial at any point, making the most of Amazon Prime Day doesn't have to be a costly venture.

As well as getting access to Prime Day, there are plenty of reasons to upgrade your Amazon account. We're sure you're aware of the headline perks such as free same-day delivery, and the unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows provided by Prime Video.

However there are some hidden benefits you might not be aware of. We've rounded up five of the best benefits we think designers and creatives will enjoy.

These perks will make you smile

01. Unlimited photo storage

If your device is overflowing with photos and dragging down performance, Prime Photos could be a reason to sign up to Prime. With Prime Photos, users are free to store an unlimited number of photos securely, as well as being able to take advantage of enhanced search and organisation features in Amazon Drive.

Accessible through desktop web browsers, Windows or Mac desktops, Fire devices and iOs and Android mobile devices, Prime Photos is for personal, noncommercial use only. On top of photo storage, it also allows users to store 5 GB of videos.

02. Early deals access

Prime Day isn't the only deal available through Amazon. Lightning Deals, which are a limited number of discounts offered on an item for a short period of time, are another opportunity to make savings.

With Prime Early Access, Prime account holders get 30-minute early access to Lightning Deals. Considering that all deals are available while stocks last, Prime Early Access is an excellent way to avoid disappointment when shopping for popular items.

03. Download books before publication

Amazon Prime has plenty to offer for bookworms. With Prime Reading, account holders can borrow books, magazines, and more from the extensive Prime Reading catalogue and read them on an array of digital devices.

As if that wasn't enough, with Amazon First Reads, you can get ahead of the pack with early access to a new book for free every month. This is a perk exclusive to US readers, so if you're stateside and like to be on the cutting edge, this is the benefit for you.

04. Share shipping benefits

Share the benefits of Amazon Prime with Amazon Household

If you've got more than one adult living under your roof, Amazon Household is another bonus just waiting for you to access. Simply link accounts through Amazon Household, and agree to share payment methods, and you'll be able to share Prime benefits while also keeping your personal accounts.

Users can also share their shipping benefits with their Amazon Business account, meaning that anyone making purchases on behalf of the company will be able to enjoy unlimited free two-day shipping on eligible items.

05. Stream free Audible content

If you prefer to take in content through your ears rather than with your eyes, then Audible Channels for Prime could tempt you to sign up. In addition to Audible Channels, which are premium podcasts recorded by top talents in the industry, users also get access to a collection of audiobooks that can be streamed for free.

With original audio series and playlists handcrafted for every interest, there's bound to be an audio boxset relevant to your chosen subject just waiting to be listened to.

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