Prime Day 2015 was kind of a bust. The deals were there, but they were largely on items few people wanted. Prime Day 2016 showed improvement, but some shoppers wanted more. So, how will Prime Day 2017 shake out?
In some ways, we won’t know until it’s over. Amazon has only announced some of the deals it plans to offer. But an apples to apples (well, Echoes to Echoes, to be precise) comparison of some prices gives a clue as to how this year may shape up.
BestBlackFriday.com, which typically tracks deals in the holiday season, has studied the preview deals Amazon is offering this year to see how they compare to the 2016 shopping event. And, since it’s Black Friday site, it also examined how the deals stood up to the post-Thanksgiving retail frenzy.
The verdict? On Amazon products, we’re seeing some notable discounts. On others, it’s a mixed bag so far.
The Amazon Echo, which has dropped to $90, is $40 cheaper than it was on Prime Day 2016 and $50 better than Black Friday 2016. The Echo Dot, at $35, was a less enticing deal, but still a good one —coming in at $5 less than Prime Day 2016 and Black Friday.
The Kindle Paperwhite, at $90, costs the same as it did on Prime Day last year, but it’s still $10 better than Black Friday.
For those in the market for a TV, though, Prime Day may not be your best friend. Of the HDTVs Amazon has announced pricing on, the site’s actually posting a number of price increases.
An Element 55-inch 4K Ultra HD smart LED TV, for example, is selling for $400 on Prime Day 2017. That’s $120 more than an equivalent TV on Black Friday. And a 40-inch 1080p TCL TV for $200 is $60 more than last year’s Prime Day and $75 more than Black Friday.
Bottom line? Don’t buy just because it seems like a lower than usual price. Check sites like CamelCamelCamel and be sure to track the deals carefully using these tools.