Major holiday sales are kicking off this week, starting with Target's on Sunday. Why it matters: Consumers are set to benefit from steep discounts ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday as the election and a late Thanksgiving push stores to launch promotions earlier.

To get the most out of this sale, it’s important to know when to shop. Prime Big Deal Days runs from October 8-9 and is exclusive to Prime members. So, for 48 hours you’ll be able to take advantage of deals on tech, fitness gear, beauty products, fashion, home deals and more — but only if you have an Amazon Prime subscription.