Amazon Prime Day: Is It a Deal?

Amazon Prime Day — the online retailer's summer version of “Black Friday” — moved up to June 23-26 this year, so you don't have to wait for July to shop. But read this first, so you can make sure the “deal” you find is actually a bargain.

Sometimes, an advertised “deal” is actually a fairly common price just with a sticker or language slapped on it so it seems like it’s a big sale. And if that’s still a good price to you, no harm in pulling the trigger! But if what you’re looking for is a real bargain, here’s how you can make sure you get one:  

1. Verify it's a sale price by checking the history

Several tools can track the price history of the item you’re looking at, so you can see if the price is truly a discount.

• CamelCamelCamel: A handy website that will show you the price history of the exact item that you link to.  

• Keepa: Rather than pasting an Amazon link into a website, install this browser extension that will overlay a price history chart right on the Amazon product page instead. No need to go back and forth between tabs.  

• Honey: Another browser extension that will show you a price history chart, plus, find active coupon codes for further savings.  

Tracking the price history will let you know if the price is lower than usual and also confirm whether the "list" price has been inflated. For example, the product might show “was $99.99, now $39.99” but the $99.99 could be a "manufacturer's suggested retail price" rather than a price typically seen.

If you see that the item you want routinely goes on sale, you have time to make an unhurried decision outside of Prime Day pressure.  

2. Compare prices

Even if you do find an actual deal on Amazon, take a moment to check that there aren’t even better prices somewhere else. You can do this manually by typing in the item you’re looking at into Google search, selecting the “Shopping” tab, and scanning across the different websites listed to verify the Prime Day price is the best one.

Many retailers respond to Amazon's event with sales of their own. You might find the same or competitive prices at other sellers, including nearby stores where you can go pick something up for instant use without waiting (and paying) for shipping. 

3. Check the reviews and return policy

Lastly, before you tap “buy now,” do one last check. Sometimes, low-quality items from unknown brands will post a Prime Day deal to attract more sales. But is it worth it — even at the sale price — if it’s going to break or not work well?

An easy way to check product quality is by reading reviews. Amazon also may flag whether customers often return an item or typically keep it.

Speaking of returns, check the return policy. Look for "free returns" and details on how returns are handled, to make sure you can easily send back something that doesn't live up to expectations.