Other retailers have plenty of options for the Amazon averse.
Millions of Amazon’s enthusiasts are set to once again celebrate Prime Day, which kicks off today at 12:00 p.m. PT. But, like last year, a bunch of other retailers are elbowing in with their own online sales. For now, the list includes eBay, Newegg, GameStop, Walmart and Lowe’s.
Here are the alternative Prime Day sales we’ve heard about so far. We’ll continue to add to the list as new ones appear.
Last updated: Monday, 1:30 p.m. PT
In contrast to Amazon’s fourth annual sales bonanza, which is available only to Prime members, eBay’s deals are available to everyone. eBay says it is offering discounts on thousands of electronics, home goods, fashion and sports products from brands including Apple, Samsung, Adidas, Dyson and KitchenAid. And when you spend $119 or more, eBay will throw in a free Google Home Mini when you use the promo code PMINI4FREE at checkout ( more info here).
All day Monday and Tuesday, Best Buy is offering up discounts on 4K Smart TVs, a wide array of laptops including MacBooks (though not the brand new Pro models announced last week), smartphones and tons of other stuff. Most of the deals are available both in store and online, and students are eligible for an additional $150 off of certain products. Here are a handful of highlights:
>> 4K Smart TVs starting at $199
>> Up to $300 off on Microsoft Surface
>> Up to $250 off on the Samsung Galaxy S8+
>> Up to $200 on select Lenovo Yoga laptops
Ignore the groan-inducing name of Newegg’s mid-July sale (“FantasTech”), there are actually some good deals to be had. Starting today, you can score the Acer Aspire 5 15-inch laptop for just under $500; that’s $200 off its list price, and $100 less than the similar (and CNET budget favorite) Acer Aspire E15 selling at Amazon right now. From now until Monday at 11:59 a.m. PT, there will be new deals unlocked every two hours.
If you’re looking for new games for your PS4, Xbox One, Switch or PC, GameStop’s Game Days Summer Sale is happening now, with prices on select titles slashed up to 50 percent. You’ll want to compare prices with Amazon and others: At $30, Monster Hunter World is no cheaper than it is at Amazon, for instance. But Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle (Switch) for $30 soundly beats Amazon’s $45 price. And the digital version of Red Dead Redemption — which is 4K optimized on the Xbox One X — is a downright steal at $10 (versus $20 to $25 for the disc on Amazon).
A reminder to those of you who’ve been living under a rock for the past year: Whole Foods is now a fully owned subsidiary of Amazon. And as such, Prime Day is extending into the real-world grocery aisle this year. From July 11 through July 17, Prime members get a $10 account credit on Amazon for Prime Day when they spend that same amount at Whole Foods Market. Meanwhile, Rewards Visa cardholders with Prime membership get 10 percent back on up to a total of $400 from July 14 to July 17. In addition, Prime members who are trying the delivery feature from Whole Foods Market stores via Prime Now will receive $10 off their order when they shop before July 17, and can get $10 to use toward a future order.
Amazon’s $300 Switch bundle deal, which threw in a 64GB memory card and $20 Nintendo eShop card with the purchase of the console, appears to have sold out. But Walmart is offering up its own bundle: $329 for the Switch and a game of your choice (there are four options: Super Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Splatoon 2). Not too shabby.
Lowe’s deals are live until midnight ET on Tuesday. The discounts are available exclusively online and most feature tools — but there are a handful of worthwhile promotions on smart home products and electronics. Members of the My Lowe’s loyalty program get an additional 10 percent off their order. A few highlights:
>> Samsung Connect Home Smart WiFi system (3-pack) — $100 (save $200)
>> Lyrics Wifi Cam 2 — $128 (save $42)
>> OmniMount Wall TV Mount — $20 (save $30
>> Spend $150 or more and get a free Google Home Mini
Originally published 10:44 p.m. PT, July 11, updating throughout Prime Day.
Prime Day 2018: The best deals so far — and everything else you need to know
Prime Day 2018: CNET’s complete coverage
