During the holiday season, it is a paradise for shoppers. Since major retailers are competing for your business, most of the time you can get the same deal from the retailer of your choice. For many, Amazon Has become the go-to place to shop for everything from soups to nuts, including popular technology.
And during Cyber Week, I faced a dilemma. For weeks, I was trying to get out of Hisense Canvas 65-inch TVWaiting for a deal. On Cyber Monday, it finally dropped to $850 at both Amazon and Best Buy. And I had a choice. Buy at Best Buy? Or buy on Amazon?
Too: I Shop the Best-Selling Art TV Deals for Cyber Monday (And It’s Not the Frame)
As an older Gen-Zer, who in some instances comes across as a millennial, my gut told me to bring my business to Best Buy. After all, I insist on doing my major shopping on my laptop and associate most tech things with the big, blue store. I purchased my AirPods, laptop, and Apple Watch from Best Buy. I have never received damaged items, experienced parcels getting lost, or had any unsatisfactory experiences.
But was I worrying too much? Many friends, family members, and coworkers have purchased tech products from Amazon without any problems, and my new TV will definitely arrive faster with Prime shipping.
The Hisense Canvas TV, my Cyber Week splurge.
Kerry Wan/ZDNET
I was confused about where to buy this TV, so I consulted my editor (a more experienced adult than me who has had several large tech purchases) before checking it out, and she ultimately confirmed my instincts. On December 1st, I paid $850 at Best Buy for a Hisense Canvas TV, a savings of $350, and that was it – until today.
Review: This Samsung Frame TV competitor has reached its lowest price ever (and it’s worth it after all)
While searching for retailer holiday sales — which I do frequently as ZDNET’s Deals & Shopping Editor — I came across an exclusive Best Buy 3-day sale offer for the same TV I’d just purchased. In fact, it was selling for the same price at which the smaller 55-inch model was listed. Now it was $150 less than I paid, on sale for $700. This is the best price I’ve seen the 65-inch model sell for, and my immediate thought was…crap.
Should I return and cancel my initial order? I hadn’t even turned on the TV yet. Can I get the difference back?
Thankfully, I was reminded why I always love buying major tech from Best Buy. I immediately pulled up the holiday pricing policy, and felt good that I could get some money back.
Best Buy says it will match any offers that are reduced during the holiday season Vacation Price Match GuaranteeThis means that most products purchased at Best Buy between October 31 and December 31 can be price matched through January 15 using this policy, There are some exclusions and limitations, but most of the technicalities are covered under the policy, And in 2025, such promises often seem like unlikely scenarios, But it happened to me and I was going to take advantage of it,
Too: This Alexa+ update can track deals and make purchases for you when prices drop – here’s how
I started a live chat on my Best Buy app, initiated a price match request, and in less than 5 minutes (after sharing a few minor details), I had a $160 refund, locking in the $700 price being offered today, even though I originally purchased my TV a few days earlier for $850.
Will Amazon do this for you? The answer is no, because Amazon does not offer price matching or adjustments. The only way I could have gotten this deal was if I initially purchased the TV from Amazon, and then returned it (hassle for a large item like a TV) and re-ordered elsewhere. Thankfully, I didn’t have to, because my trust in Best Buy guided me in the right direction from the beginning. Instead, I benefited from a painless, easy price-matching process that required little effort and took away any sting of losing out on a great deal.
Best Buy, if you’re reading this, will remain a loyal customer for my expensive tech purchases thanks to policies like this. After all, that’s not what Jeff Bezos offers.
