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AMZN from Amazon, +0.52% annual Prime Day is just around the corner — but before you click Buy Now, you might want to reconsider whether you’re getting a good deal.
Prime Day is a sales event open exclusively to Amazon Prime members. (It costs $12.99 per month or $119 per year to sign up.)
Amazon Prime is currently advertising 20% off select books, 4 free months of Wondery + premium podcasts, 20% off beauty, and other home products. It also promises discounts of up to 50% on Amazon devices.
There is a chance to launch an additional Amazon Prime Day separate later this year in October, said Pete King, who runs YouTube channel GOOGL, -0.20% GOOG, +0.07% for Slickdeals, a site where users post the deals they find.
“The global shortage of microchips is disrupting manufacturing supply chains for automobiles, as well as gaming equipment and computers.”
But Amazon spokeswoman Victoria Odierno declined to comment, calling the talk a separate “speculation” for Prime Day.
Kristen Cook, managing editor of BensBargains.com, said just because Amazon posted a “Lightning Deals” page with items that looked like theft doesn’t mean it’s theft by any means.
One way to see if you’re getting a good deal is to copy and paste the item’s URL on CamelCamelCamel.com, a site that tracks prices for Amazon-listed items.
“Just because Amazon publishes a ‘Lightning Deals’ page that contains items that appear to be stolen, it doesn’t mean they are in any way stolen.”
– Kristen Cook, Managing Editor at Ben’s Bargains
There, you can also set up email alerts that will alert you if/when the product drops below the price you enter.
But if the item you want to buy on Prime Day is already below the average price listed on CamelCamelCamel, Cook says it’s okay to go ahead and press buy.
This year’s Prime Day is also unique from its predecessors due to a global microchip shortage, which is disrupting manufacturing supply chains for automobiles as well as gaming equipment and computers.
Hence, consumers should not expect any write-offs on the highly sought-after PS5s, SONY -1.68%, Nintendo Switches 7974, -2.80% or high-end PCs, retail experts told MarketWatch.
Here are 4 more items to think twice about before buying on Amazon Prime Day:
Furniture and clothes
Kristen McGrath, editor and shopping expert at BlackFriday.com, said consumers may want to delay buying household goods until sales kick off on July 4th.
She said that’s because “many mattress stores run sales and furniture stores explode on the Fourth of July.” But it’s still worth checking to see if there are any good deals considering that discounts may only apply to a “certain size bed frame” or a sofa in a certain color but not the others.
The same applies to clothes.
“The best time to get discount clothes is when the seasons change.”
— Kristen McGrath, editor and shopping expert at BlackFriday.com
“We’ve seen previous Prime Day deals where a shirt is discounted but only discounted in a certain color and sold in most sizes,” McGrath told MarketWatch.
She added that the best time to get discount clothing is generally when the seasons change.
Typically, “retailers across the board offer free shipping, and promo codes up to 40% off everything” when the seasons change.
TVs and game systems
On Prime Day, McGrath said, consumers should not expect to see “discounted” TVs across the board. She added, “Amazon will deliver their Fire TV devices, but there will certainly not be the absolute best prices on the best models ever.”
Just before the holidays is the best time to get a good deal on a TV because they are “super cool items,” so retailers tend to offer discounts across a wide range of models.
“Consumers inadvertently buy outdated products thinking they are getting a discount when a newer model is already available.”
– Pete King who runs the Slickdeals YouTube channel
But if you happen to come across a good deal on a TV, make sure you know which model year you’re getting.
All too often, “consumers inadvertently buy older products thinking they’re getting a discount when there really is a new model available,” King told MarketWatch. “And by the same token, you’ll also want to read reviews on TV models.”
During the holiday season, Amazon and other retailers are likely to offer collection service. For example, you might be able to find a package that includes video games, game accessories, and an additional gift card, McGrath said.
Prime Day vs Walmart and Target
It’s almost impossible to tell if shoppers can save more money with Walmart’s Days of WMT deals, a 1.06% promotional event, Target’s Deal TGT event, -0.30% or Best Buy’s BBY, or -2.39% Bigger Deals.
(Target declined to comment, and Best Buy did not respond to a request for comment.)
But this isn’t the first time these companies have competed head-to-head with Prime Day.
In the past, Walmart’s competing promotional event (June 20-June 23) has been “disappointing,” Cook told MarketWatch, “Normally there isn’t much on sale already,” she added, “but I might be wrong. I might change this.” general”.
Walmart told MarketWatch that the Hisense 40-inch FHD Roku Smart LED TV will be listed at $178 off its current price, $228, during the Deals for Days event. The same TV is listed for $239.99 on Amazon, as of Tuesday evening.
Cook said the Target deal days event (June 20-June 22) tends to be “good,” but that often Amazon will match Target deals “within a couple of hours.” The same applies to the Best Buy event (from June 15 to June 22).
But the same can’t apply to exclusive brands of apparel and home goods, so there’s a good chance the company will offer the best discounts in the industry, she said.
Don’t Miss: Here’s Exactly How to Get the Best Prices on Amazon, According to One Veteran Deal Pro
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