Buzz
The October Prime Day is approaching, bringing with it a wave of discounts and savings. While Amazon wants you to believe that every deal is worth your attention, the reality is that many of these offers aren't as great as they seem.
Amid the frenzy, it can be challenging to determine whether you're really saving money. However, there's one category that will certainly stand out during Prime Day: tech products created by Amazon itself. We're talking about devices like Fire tablets, Fire TV Cubes, and other Amazon-made gadgets.
For regular tech sales, most retailers aim to get you to buy whatever they can convince you to, whether it’s an iPhone or Android, Mac or PC, Xbox or PlayStation. Their goal is to get as much of your money as possible, with sales events like Black Friday featuring deals across a variety of brands. But Amazon takes a different approach.
Amazon is both a retailer and a producer of tech products
While Amazon offers a vast range of products from various brands, it also designs and manufactures its own tech. If you’re in the market for a smart TV, Amazon has its own model; if you’re after a smart TV streaming device, Amazon has that covered too. For home security, look no further than Blink or Ring products. With Alexa powering many of these devices, why not grab one of its smart speakers or screens, all controlled by the personal assistant? Amazon Basics even offers a wide variety of accessories, including USB cables and batteries.
Amazon’s tech offerings have grown so vast that it makes sense for the company to prioritize selling its own versions of products over competing brands. Why buy a Roku when you can get a Fire TV Stick? Why choose a Nest Mini when an Echo Pop is available? Amazon seems to have its own version of just about everything—even its own earbuds, the Echo Buds.
The quality of these Amazon products compared to the competition is definitely a topic for debate, and it’s wise to do your own research before purchasing any tech item, whether it’s made by Amazon or another brand. However, when you search for tech products on Amazon, especially during October Prime Day, expect to see alternatives made by Amazon. The company has a vested interest in promoting its own products, and Prime Day is a perfect opportunity for big discounts on them.
Amazon remains a marketplace, and it benefits from any purchase you make, whether it’s an Amazon product or not. So, if you choose a Samsung TV over an Amazon-branded one, it's still a sale for Amazon. That’s why, during Prime Day, you’ll find plenty of deals on non-Amazon products as well. However, Amazon’s own products will be pushed the hardest, with the biggest discounts and most promotions.
Avoid Impulse Buys
Despite the tempting discounts and enticing product bundles, don’t buy an Amazon device simply because it appears to be a great deal. If you’re already in the market for a specific Amazon product and it goes on sale, that’s a smart buy. However, if you were more interested in a non-Amazon product but find the Amazon version at a lower price, it may not be worth it to choose price over getting the exact product you wanted.
