Technology products often vary in price GREATLY. You can find price differences of 10% to 30% pretty easily just by searching large online retailers like Amazon, but finding items on clearance, refurbished or simply with open boxes can increase your savings to as much as 80%!!
Especially competitive prices can be found searching Amazon’s open box area, or visiting old-school locations of stores like Target that discount items on clearance very heavily because they want to open up space for newer products (or ones that sell more frequently or at a better profit margin).
Here are some helpful links for savvy shoppers:
- Amazon Trade-Ins -- use this link to trade in your own old gear!
- Amazon Warehouse Deals -- a great place to find used, open box and refurbished items. Some items may be previously purchased and returned, meaning the boxes are damaged or missing completely. This means big savings for you!
- Which retailers price match their own websites and others
- How retailers get out of price matching guarantees
- Best price matching stores
- Walmart price match product lists - updated weekly, this site shows you the prices from other retailers for the current period so you can get the same deal at Walmart!
- Stockpiling 101 - how price matching works
- Stores that price match - comparison chart
As retailers go, Target and Walmart offer the best overall price matching programs. Target matches some online retailers, including Amazon; however, they are inconsistent (at best) on local price matches, including their own other locations. Walmart on the other hand offers matches often without even bringing the ad with you. Note: Walmart may call to verify the prices, especially on huge discounts.
