Compare before you buy. Prime Day gets the attention, but Walmart and Target often match or beat Amazon on popular items.
Use each store's advantage. Amazon offers price-history tools, Target has valuable gift card promotions, and Walmart's same-day pickup can be a major perk.
Don't overlook essentials. Detergent, paper towels, pet food, and other household staples often see some of the biggest discounts of the week.
If you're only shopping Amazon Prime Day this year, you're probably missing some of the best deals.
For the first time, America's three biggest retailers are essentially going to war for your wallet.
Amazon Prime Day: June 23-26
Walmart Deals Event: June 22-28
Target Circle Week: June 23-26
Most shoppers will jump online, see a "50% off" badge, and hit the Buy Now button as fast as they can. That's exactly what retailers are counting on.
The smartest shoppers don't pick sides. They make Amazon, Walmart, and Target compete for their business by comparing prices, leveraging loyalty programs, and taking advantage of each retailer's strengths. Here’s a smart strategy to follow this year to maximize your savings.
Check Walmart before buying anything on Prime Day
One of the biggest mistakes shoppers make is assuming Amazon automatically has the lowest price. That's often not the case these days.
Because Walmart launched its Deals Event a day earlier, many of its discounts are already live and competing directly against Prime Day.
Before checking out on Amazon, compare the unit price at Walmart, especially on larger pack sizes. Walmart frequently uses its sale events to aggressively price-match Amazon on consumables while also offering store pickup, allowing shoppers to avoid shipping delays and minimum order requirements.
Always use Walmart's app while browsing Prime Day deals, as it makes it easy to compare prices. Many shoppers never comparison shop, which is exactly what retailers are hoping for.
Pro tip: When shopping the Walmart Deals event, build a cart of household essentials first. Saving $5 here and $10 there on products you buy every month can often produce bigger overall savings than scoring a discount on a gadget you didn't plan to purchase.
Don't assume today's Amazon price is the best you'll see
Make sure you’re using the price tracking tools that Amazon gives you.
Specifically, their AI powered “Ask Alexa” tool is on every product page just waiting to be used.
Be sure to tap the “Show price history” button to get access to a one-month, three-month, and one-year price history of the product. If you don’t immediately see it, tap “Ask something else,” which will bring up the price history option that you can select.
This is the easiest way to tell if a Prime Day price is actually a good deal or not. Oftentimes Amazon will raise the price before a sales event, only to lower it once the sale starts, all in an attempt to make it appear like a screaming deal. Their own AI price tracker will tell you the real truth.
If the Prime Day price is the same as it’s been in the past, you know you can wait and not rush the purchase. Or better yet, pull up the Walmart and Target website to see if they have a lower price on the item.
Pro tip: Add products to your Amazon wish list and check prices morning and evening. It's not unusual for pricing to change multiple times during Prime Day.
Use Target gift card promotions as instant discounts
Target's biggest advantage this week during their Deal Days isn't necessarily the sale prices. It's the gift card promotions that they will be offering.
Many shoppers ignore these promos because they focus only on the sticker price and that's a mistake. For example, imagine you're shopping for a small appliance like an air fryer.
Amazon’s price on the air fryer: $89.99
Target’s price on the same air fryer: $99.99 (but includes a $20 Target gift card)
Most shoppers will immediately choose Amazon.
But if you regularly buy groceries, cleaning supplies, toiletries, or household products at Target, that gift card has real value. Your effective cost on the air fryer is just $79.99.
Target often runs promotions such as:
Spend $50, get a $10 gift card
Spend $100, get a $20 gift card
Buy select household essentials, get a gift card
These gift cards promos will be front and center this week. So, if you already shop at Target regularly, you should factor these promos into every purchasing decision.
Buy household essentials before electronics
The flashy deals this week will always get the headlines. Stuff like TVs, laptops, and gaming systems.
But some of the best savings this week are hiding in much less exciting categories.
Think about the products you're guaranteed to buy over the next few months:
Laundry detergent
Paper towels
Shampoo
Coffee pods
Pet food
Trash bags
Vitamins
Cleaning supplies
Retailers like Amazon, Target, and Walmart frequently offer some of their lowest prices of the year on these products during major sale events.
A family that saves 30% to 40% on household necessities can often save more money overall than someone who buys a discounted gadget they didn't really need.
So, before you go shopping for electronics, make a list of household essentials and stock up when prices hit their lowest levels, which they inevitably will.
Never compare product names — compare model numbers
This is one of the most important shopping rules of the week.
Retailers often sell products that look nearly identical but aren't exactly the same.
For example, a television listed as a Samsung 65-inch QLED at Walmart may appear identical to one sold at Amazon. But the model numbers can be totally different and that matters a lot. That tiny difference can mean different picture quality, fewer refresh rates, fewer HDMI ports, older processors, and reduced gaming performance.
The same issue appears with laptops, vacuums, printers, soundbars, and kitchen appliances. Before declaring one retailer the winner, always take a closer look and compare the actual model number.
Pro tip: Your smartest move is to copy the actual model number into Google and compare prices across all three retailers before buying. That way you know you’re comparing apples to apples.
Don't stop shopping after Prime Day ends
Most consumers treat June 26 as the finish line, and that's a mistake.
While Amazon Prime Day and Target Circle Week end on June 26, Walmart's Deals Event continues through June 28.
Historically, Walmart often uses the final days of its sale to clear seasonal inventory and capture shoppers who missed Prime Day. Specifically, keep an eye on deals on patio furniture, grills, pool accessories, summer toys, outdoor décor, as well as lawn and garden products.
In years past, some of Walmart's most aggressive markdowns appear after Amazon's sale has already ended.