Amazon Prime Day is like Black Friday in July—the online retailer is offering mega deals to Prime members for 36 hours.
Well, other retailers are hoping to get in on some of the action, too, by running their own sales at the same time.
(Here’s a rundown of Amazon Prime Day if you’re unfamiliar: Amazon Prime Day Is Set For July 11 With Some Deals Launching The Night Before)
Here’s the thing. Yes, you can score some really great deals during this random sale window. But all of these retailers are just trying to drive up sales during a normally slow month, so keep that in mind before you sprint to the mall.
“July is not a traditional shopping window,” Mark Cohen, director of retail studies at Columbia Business School, told NBC Chicago. “(Amazon has) called the party and invited all sorts of people who might not otherwise be interested in shopping in July.”
Remember, too, that with Amazon Prime Day you have to sign up for a Prime membership, which costs money. Non-Amazon retailers, on the other hand, are offering up their discounts without any sort of commitment.
In other words: It pays to comparison shop over these next few days.
“Retailers competing can mean lower prices, but sometimes retailers artificially hike up prices in advance to make the sale look better,” Jonah Berger, a marketing professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania told NerdWallet.
Here are some of the other sales going on this week.
JCPenney
From now through Sunday, July 16, JCPenney will give you 30 percent off your entire purchase online only using the promo code 24FORYOU. Plus, free shipping on orders over $49.
Best Buy
Best Buy says it will drop prices on Apple Watches, iPads and some computers starting Tuesday, according to a spokeswoman who spoke with NBC Chicago. Deals will be available all week in stores and on the Best Buy website.
Best Buy is also offering up to 40 percent off select appliances through Wednesday, July 12.
Toys”R”Us
Online shoppers can take 20 percent off their entire purchase for 36 hours starting Monday at 6 p.m., a Toys”R”Us spokesman told NBC Chicago.
Macy’s
Macy’s is offering up to 60 percent off on Monday and Tuesday.
Lowe's
From now through Wednesday, July 12, Lowe’s is offering 40 percent off select appliances. They’re also offering 10 percent off sitewide, plus free shipping, through July 11 for new and existing MyLowe’s members. MyLowe’s is a loyalty program and is free to join.
