Deals
How to shop a sale without a fake discount.
The week does not matter. Black Friday, a mid-year sale, and the week a new model launches all use the same trick. These are the checks that still work after the red stickers come down.
Save the price before the sale starts
A week before the campaign, search the product on Google Shopping and note the lowest offer from a shop you would actually use. During the sale, ignore any percentage that is not below that number.
The crossed-out price is chosen by the shop
A “was” price can be the launch price, a price from another country, or a figure nobody paid. It is not a record of what the item cost last Tuesday. If you cannot find that higher price in the recent history, treat the discount as decoration.
The warranty has to work where you live
A low price from a seller with no local address is a different product: you pay for the return. Prefer the brand’s store or a large retailer that will repair or replace the item in your country. On Amazon, check that the seller is Amazon or the brand.
Add up a bundle before you call it a saving
A console with two games, or headphones with a case you did not want, is only cheaper if you would have bought those extras anyway. Price the pieces separately. A subscription that already includes the game does not count as part of the gift.
Last year’s model is often the real offer
Phones, TVs, and laptops drop when the replacement is announced. The older one still has the screen, the battery, and the ports you came for. Read the new model’s changelog. If the difference is a camera bump and a higher price, buy the one that just became last year’s.
Walk away from the unnamed 70 percent
Cables, cases, and gadgets with no brand you can look up are almost never on sale. If you cannot find the same product in a shop with an address, the warranty risk stays with you. A sale is a reason to buy something you already wanted. It is not a reason to discover a new category at midnight.