I'm a deals editor — here's exactly what I'd buy on Prime Day vs Black Friday
There are less than 100 days left till Christmas and retailers want you to start holiday shopping now. Amazon, for example, has already switched into holiday mode now that it's announced the return of its Prime Big Deal Days.
I've been tracking deals for 19 years and while I've always been an advocate of shopping early, there are some items that are actually cheaper in November and December. So while I'm looking forward to October Prime Day, I also recommend reserving some of your holiday shopping for later in the year.
Below I've listed the 3 items I recommend shopping during Prime Big Deal Days and 3 items I only shop during Black Friday/Cyber Monday. For more, personal recommendations check out the Tom's Guide Saving Squad page.
Quick Links
- shop Prime Big Deal Days preview
- Prime for Young Adults: 6 free months
- The Gym People Sports Bra: was $21 now $19
- Skechers sale: deals from $24
- Cushionaire Sandals: was $59 now $39
- Ninja/Shark: deals from $54
- Smart TVs: deals from $69
- Garmin: deals from $119
- TCL NXTPAPER 14: was $469 now $379
Amazon Devices
Amazon gear is discounted year-round. However, if you want the lowest prices — I recommend buying your Amazon gear during one of Amazon's major sales because that's when you'll find the lowest prices. Sure, there are great Amazon deals on Labor Day and Memorial Day, but those prices don't beat the prices you'll find during Prime Day, Amazon's Big Spring Sale, or Prime Big Deal Days. This is true whether you're buying a new Echo Show, the latest Blink security camera, or a brand new Kindle. If there's an Amazon device you want that's not on sale during Prime Big Deal Days, then I recommend waiting for Black Friday because it'll almost certainly be on sale then.
When to buy: Prime Big Deal Days
Appliances
The appliance deals you see during Prime Big Deal Days will likely be the same appliance deals you'll find on Black Friday/Cyber Monday. There might be some exceptions — especially if you're eyeing a just-released appliance — but otherwise the prices will be very similar. So if you need a new coffee machine or a new air fryer, Prime Big Deal Days will likely be a good time to buy. There's only one exception: large appliances. Items like washers/dryers, refrigerators, ranges, and dishwashers tend to see bigger discounts in November and December.
When to buy: Prime Big Deal Days
Apple
As an Apple user, I purchase most of my Apple gear from Amazon and/or Best Buy and I tend to do it over the holiday season. I do that for two reasons: 1)come November/December Apple has already refreshed its entire lineup of devices and 2)although Amazon is one of my go-to stores for Apple deals, you'll find slightly better deals on Black Friday/Cyber Monday. For example, last year the 13-inch MacBook Air (M4) hit $899 during Prime Big Deal Days. However, that same laptop crashed to $799 on Black Friday. (That was a deal even I didn't see coming). Additionally, in the past I've seen some retailers discount previous-gen Apple devices and use those deals as "doorbuster" items. Could we see a $999 MacBook Air M4 this holiday? My deals radar says it's a strong possibility.
When to buy: Black Friday/Cyber Monday
Apparel
Prime Big Deal Days is an excellent time to refresh your wardrobe. I say that because the sneaker and apparel deals we saw last October were virtually identical to the ones we saw during Black Friday/Cyber Monday. Whether you're shopping Under Armour, Skechers, or Carhartt — you might actually be better off buying in October as you'll have an easier time finding select styles and sizes. There is one caveat: If you want apparel from a trendier athleisure brand — like Alo Yoga or Lululemon — then I recommend waiting till Black Friday because those brands tend to offer better deals later in the year.
When to buy: Prime Big Deal Days
4K TVs
I expect to see a lot of TV deals in the coming weeks. However, the best TV deals are always found on Black Friday/Cyber Monday. That's not to say you won't find great deals during Prime Big Deal Days. In fact, I expect to see a lot of great TV deals during Amazon's 48-hour sale. However, retailers like Best Buy and Walmart tend to use TV deals as a gateway to lure you into stores during the holiday season. Oftentimes, they use their own exclusive models to offer deep, head-turning discounts. Best Buy, for example, always offers the cheapest OLED TV prices because it exclusively carries the 48-inch LG B6 series TV. Last year the 48-inch LG B5 crashed to $599 on Black Friday. I doubt this year's LG B6 will hit that same price low, but I expect the best TV deals won't debut till November.
When to buy: Black Friday/Cyber Monday
Laptops
I'll be honest: I'm not a fan of Amazon's (Windows) laptop deals. The retailer tends to sell plenty of off-brand laptops from resellers I'm not familiar with. Oftentimes these laptops are priced as cheaply as $199, but they pack dated CPUs or just horrible specs overall. Are all of Amazon's laptop deals bad — definitely not — and there have been plenty of deals I've recommended in the past. But if you want a solid deal on a powerful gaming laptop or a mainstream machine that'll last you for years, you'll find a better variety of deals on Black Friday/Cyber Monday. Best Buy is one of my go-to retailers for all things PC and I expect their holiday deals to beat most of the laptop deals we see from Big Deal Days.
When to buy: Black Friday/Cyber Monday
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