Why contract experts say you might want to skip it
Prime Day rates may not be Amazon’s best deals ever
Just because something is discounted on Prime Day, does not mean that it is the best deal you will see anywhere, or even all year round.
Of course, Amazon will offer the best prices on its own equipment such as Kindle, Fire TV streamer and private label clothes. For example, the e-commerce giant is already advertising a 24-inch Fire TV for just $ 90, almost half the retail price, while other early deals include up to a 55% discount on second-generation Echo Show, Kindle Paperwhite and Eero Mesh Wi-Fi routers.
Remember that some items will be reduced further down the road. The prices of mattresses and outdoor furniture will probably be lower around Labor Day, toys are marked most on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and TVs have generally seen the lowest price before the Super Bowl on Sunday.
Even Amazon is looking beyond its own Prime Day with a second sales event now scheduled for the fall.
Competitive sales events increase efforts
Other bargains are not exclusive to Amazon at all. Walmart, Target and Best Buy, among others, are holding competitive deal events ̵[ads1]1; as they have done in previous years – to coincide with Amazon Prime Day 2022.
This time, Target’s 72-hour “Deal Days” start earlier and last longer, starting July 11, one day before Prime Day. In addition, the Target Prize will match selected Prime Day offers and receive an additional 5% discount for RedCard members.
“Every year they get a little more competitive,” Burrow said.
Also, expect to find equally valuable deals at Walmart on kitchen appliances, vacuum cleaners and Nintendo Switch accessories, he said, and trust that Best Buy will compete on electronics and Apple devices.
Meanwhile, other retailers, including Bed, Bath & Beyond, Kohl’s, Overstock, Samsung and Saks Fifth Avenue, will offer their own big discounts, according to Rakuten’s retail and shopping expert Kristen Gall.
How to make sure you get the best deals
To find the lowest prices overall, start smashing the numbers now, advised Kristin McGrath, a shopping expert at RetailMeNot.
Price tracking is the easiest way to monitor how good a deal really is, especially for items with large tickets.
Kristin McGrath
shopping expert at RetailMeNot
McGrath recommends a price-saving browser extension such as Camelcamelcamel or Keepa to keep an eye on price changes and get alerts about price drops. “Price tracking is the easiest way to monitor how good the deal really is, especially for big tickets,” she said.
At some retailers, you can even stack offers by using a promotional code or digital coupon and then pay with a rewards credit card for extra savings, said Rakutens Gall.
Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube.