During the holiday season, it’s a shopper’s paradise. Since major retailers are competing for your business, a majority of the time you can get the same deal at a retailer of your choice. For many, Amazon has become the go-to place to shop soup to nuts, including popular tech.
And during Cyber Week, I faced a dilemma. For weeks, I was scoping out the Hisense Canvas 65-inch TV, waiting for a deal. On Cyber Monday, it finally dropped to $850 at both Amazon and Best Buy. And I had a choice. To buy at Best Buy? Or to buy on Amazon?
Also: I bought a top-selling art TV deal for Cyber Monday (and it’s not the Frame)
As an older Gen-Zer who cosplays as a millennial in certain instances, my gut told me to bring my business to Best Buy. After all, I insist on making my major purchases on my laptop and associate most things tech with the big, blue store. I’ve purchased my AirPods, laptops, and Apple Watch from Best Buy. I’ve never received damaged items, experienced missing parcels, or had an unsatisfactory experience.
But was I worrying too much? Many friends, family members, and coworkers have purchased tech products from Amazon without issue, and my new TV would certainly arrive faster with Prime shipping.
The Hisense Canvas TV, my Cyber Week splurge.
Kerry Wan/ZDNET
I was so conflicted on where to purchase this TV that I consulted my editor (a more seasoned adult than me with multiple major tech purchases under her belt) before checking out, and she ultimately confirmed my instincts. On Dec. 1, I paid $850 at Best Buy for the Hisense Canvas TV, a savings of $350, and that was that — until today.
Review: This Samsung Frame TV competitor just hit an all-time low price (and it’s finally worth it)
While scouting out retailer holiday sales — which I do frequently as ZDNET’s deals and shopping editor — I came across an exclusive Best Buy 3-Day sale offer for the very TV I had just purchased. In fact, it was selling for the same price as the smaller 55-inch model was listed for. It was now $150 less than what I paid, on sale for $700. That’s the best price I’ve ever 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 opened the TV yet. Could I get refunded the difference?
Thankfully, I was reminded why I always prefer buying major tech from Best Buy. I quickly pulled up the holiday price policy, and I had a good feeling I could get some money back.
Best Buy says it will match any offer that goes lower during the holiday season with its Holiday Price Match Guarantee. This means that most products purchased at Best Buy between Oct. 31 and Dec. 31 can be price-matched through Jan. 15 using this policy. There are some exclusions and limitations, but a majority of tech is covered under the policy. And in 2025, such promises often seem like unlikely situations. But it happened to me, and I was going to capitalize.
Also: This Alexa+ update can track deals and buy for you when the price drops – here’s how
I pulled up a live chat on my Best Buy app, initiated a price match request, and in less than 5 minutes (after sharing some minor details), I had a refund of $160 on its way to me, locking in that $700 price being offered today, even though I originally purchased my TV a few days prior for $850.
Would Amazon do that for you? The answer is no, because Amazon does not offer price matching or adjustments. The only way I could’ve scored this deal is if I had initially purchased the TV from Amazon, and then returned it (a hassle for a large item like a TV) and re-ordered elsewhere. Thankfully, I didn’t have to, because my trust in Best Buy from the beginning guided me in the right direction. Instead, I benefited from a painlessly, easy price-match process that required little effort and took away any sting of losing out on a great deal.
Best Buy, if you’re reading this, I’ll continue to be a loyal customer for my pricey tech purchases thanks to policies like this one. After all, Jeff Bezos doesn’t offer that.