16 Items Not to Buy on Amazon Prime Day

Amazon Prime Day is happening from July 16-17, but are the deals as good as Amazon has promised? 

While shoppers expect to see significant savings when a sale is heavily marketed, many have noticed a decline in Prime Day offerings. There are some excellent deals hidden among the thousands of items with slashed prices, but sifting through them is time-consuming and potentially not worth the savings advertised. 

The retail giant seems to rely more on impulse purchases while "window shopping" for the real deals, hoping browsers won't notice the prices aren't exceptionally discounted. Some items even appear to be marked up, so the "discount" brings the price back to what it was before. 

The ease of accessing digital receipts has led to many consumers comparing those rates to the Prime Day sales prices to see if they would have saved money by waiting to make their purchases during the sale — and many say the savings don't add up like they did previously. 

The best way to ensure you are really getting discounted pricing is by pre-planning what you actually need or want to purchase. 

Creating a list in your Amazon account lets you track the pricing before Prime Day to see if the sale offers a steep enough slash on the price to compel hitting the "add to cart" button and is one of many smart Amazon shopping hacks. 

There are several categories that don't live up to the Prime Day hype, so here's what to avoid during Amazon's big sale.

Upgrading home appliances can be pricey, so many hold off on purchases until a good sale offers significant savings. 

In years past, Amazon offered competitive pricing on these big-ticket items to lure shoppers away from physical retailers, but many say the best deals for things like washing machines or refrigerators are found over the summer holiday long weekends. 

Memorial Day events, Fourth of July sales, and Labor Day discounts might be a better time to consider upgrades for those expensive items.

The price of stocking a kitchen seems to keep increasing, but  Prime Day may not be the solution many hoped for while seeking to upgrade their cookware or other kitchenware. Those looking for higher-end options with a pricier total are likely better off waiting for Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales later in the year. 

The discounted sets of pots and pans featured on Amazon for Prime Day are often low-quality knock-offs that aren't worth it in the long run. Surprisingly, many have found one of the most affordable ways to upgrade dinnerware options is through Dollar Tree. 

Rather than purchasing a set, each piece is sold separately for $1.25, so customers can create their own set with however many plates, bowls, and cups they need — and still end up with a matching set at a lower price. 

Look to other game-specific retailers to get gaming consoles, accessories, or games. You may be surprised to learn that Amazon’s price cuts can be beaten by electronics retailers even on Prime Day. Popular consoles such as the PS5 or Nintendo Switch are full price, making it cheaper to buy one right now from GameStop at regular pricing. 

Pro tip: Don’t wait until Prime Day to check out gaming consoles. Some Prime Day deals have already started, so set sales alerts on items you anticipate buying in case they go on sale early.

Televisions are an item that usually has a better sale during Black Friday than Prime Day. 

And whether you’re a sports fan or not, check out sales in January to see if you can pick up a TV at a more affordable price before Super Bowl Sunday. You may be surprised at how many retailers mark down items in anticipation of the big game.

You may need a new sofa or bed, but Amazon Prime Day may not be the best time to purchase those items. You may get a better deal shopping locally for furniture because they may have a more affordable delivery fee.

With the delivery fee added to Amazon’s sale price, furniture could cost you more. And some local holiday sales might have better deals on things like mattresses and sofas.

Trying to find the hottest toys to cool off with in the summer? Amazon Prime probably isn’t the spot for you. The retailer may put cheaper toys on sale instead of their more expensive brand names. You also may not be able to get the hottest toys at bargain prices during the sale.

You may not realize this, but Apple’s products are a direct competitor to some of Amazon’s in-house electronics. Things like an iPad may compete with Amazon’s Fire tablets and Apple TV might take market share from Amazon’s Fire TV Stick.

Instead, try to find those items on other sites that may get you a better deal.

Amazon may be a good place for other retailers to sell their goods, but be aware that any sales may not be what they seem. Some retailers may try to take advantage of Amazon Prime Day with sales that aren’t really sales.

One tactic is not marking the price down by much or raising the retail price to make it look like you’re getting a better deal.

Like Apple, Google also has products that compete with Amazon’s. Its Google Home and Chromecast devices are direct competitors to Amazon’s Alexa and Fire TV Stick, so they probably won’t get the same deep discounts that Amazon offers on Prime Day.

Think about buying Google products from non-Amazon sites if you prefer using them over Amazon.

Need a new camera for a job or a hobby? Try not to buy it during Prime Day when you may not get the best deal for the year.

Instead, shutterbugs might want to consider grabbing new gear at the end of the year before new models arrive. Deals then tend to be better than those you’d find in the summer.

It may be a good idea to replace your laptop during the summer when you may not have as much work or your kids are out of school for the summer.

But if you can postpone upgrading your computer, consider waiting until Black Friday. Amazon might have better deals on computers at that time rather than on Prime Day.

You may be itching to get your kids outfitted for the new school year early, but try to hold off doing that during Prime Day. School items may have better prices closer to the start of the school year in August or September.

You may be so excited about Prime Day that you’re willing to click “Add to cart” on anything that even sort of appeals to you. But restrain yourself. Making a list of items you may want and then buying them on Prime Day will help you fight the urge to overspend.

You may think you can get a great deal on a new shirt or shorts, but check the restrictions before you get too excited. The sales may be limited to only particular sizes or colors that may be in stock. Don’t feel you have to compromise just to get a deal.

Need a small pool to entertain the kids or a grill to cook outside? Sales on items like that usually show up around May as the summer season kicks off or at the end of the summer as retailers try to move seasonal inventory. July is the peak time for items like that.

On Prime Day, you may be paying peak prices, even with a sale. It’s better to wait for end-of-summer deals.

Amazon isn’t the only one with big deals on Prime Day. Other retailers have jumped on the trend to put things on sale around Amazon’s Prime sales, so you may be able to find better deals on other websites.

Check out Target, Best Buy, or Walmart, for example, to see if you can get a better price on electronics, home goods, and more.

Ready to check out Prime Day? Make sure you’ve got one of the best rewards credit cards in your wallet so you can earn cash back while taking advantage of Amazon’s once-a-year deals. Just beware of those deals that may not be so great on Prime Day.