Amazon today announced its Prime Day shopping event will take place on October 13-14, and we also now know that the Alexa voice assistant can be used to find deals and even earn you free credit.

This isn't the first time that Amazon has employed Alexa to help out with Prime Day. In previous years the voice assistant could be used to find deals and shop when spoken to. For 2020, Alexa users can even get a free $5 credit by speaking to their Echo smart speaker.

Read More:

• Amazon Prime Day 2020 dates revealed
• Which smart speaker and display is right for you? 18 options for 2020

Prime Day, which starts at midnight PT on October 13 and runs for 48 hours, will include discounts on a huge range of products across many of Amazon's retail departments. There will be savings on fashion, home, beauty and toys, plus money off Amazon's own Echo and Fire TV devices.

In some cases, the deals have already begun. Amazon is currently offering two of its third-generation Echo Dot smart speakers for just $39.98, down from the usual price of $99.98. All you have to do is use the discount code DOTPRIME2PK at the checkout.

Echo Dot (3rd Gen) - Smart speaker with Alexa - Sandstone

List Price: $39.99

New From: $39.99in Stock

Used From: $35.19in Stock

How to use Alexa to find Prime Day deals

Once Prime Day has begun, you can speak to Alexa to find deals relevant to you. Just say: "Alexa, what are my Prime Day deals?" and the virtual assistant will read out offers it thinks will be relevant to you. You can then place an order by using voice commands.

Amazon Prime Day 2020 takes place on October13-14 Amazon

How to get $5 free Amazon credit with Alexa

Furthermore, for Prime Day 2020 Amazon is offering a free $5 credit to everyone who uses Alexa to sign up for Prime. All you have to do is say: "Alexa, sign me up for Prime," and follow the instructions to create your Prime account.

Once set up, the account will be credited with $5, ready to be spent on Amazon right away, or on a Prime Day discount. And remember, if you haven't used Prime before, you can sign up for a free 30-day trial; do that now and you'll be able to benefit from all of its benefits, right through Prime Day 2020, and then have the option to cancel it just before the free month ends.

If you choose to keep your membership after the 30-day trial has expired, Amazon Prime is priced at $12.99 a month or $119 annually, depending on how you want to pay.

You can also get free credit by signing up for the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card. If approved, eligible Prime members will instantly receive a $100 Amazon gift card. Using the card also earns you 5 percent back at Whole Foods Market and Amazon.com, plus 2 percent back at restaurants, gas stations and drug stores, among other retailers.

As well as using Alexa to grab a Prime Day bargain, Amazon will be rolling out discounts across its physical stores too. These include Whole Foods Market, Amazon 4-star, Amazon Books, Amazon Pop Up, and Amazon Fresh.

All-new Echo (4th Gen) | With premium sound, smart home hub, and Alexa | Charcoal

All-new Echo (4th Gen) | With premium sound, smart home hub, and Alexa | Charcoal

List Price: $99.99

New From: $99.99in Stock