Amazon Discount Finder Discussion

Hmm, it doesn't seem any better than the old one (i.e. it's of very little use at all).

I tried to find Kitchen items at 50% off or better:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/search/rh=n:392546011,p_8:50-100,p_76:1-&sort=price&low-price=min&high-price=max
I selected free delivery and here's the sort of thing I find:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lets-Make-Childrens-Silicone-Patterned/dp/B003MVZ5H2

Cow-patterened balloon whisk, reduced from £4.99 to £4.83.
How is that 50% off? Oh, a marketplace seller has it for 16p + £4.59 shipping. Well that's not very useful is it?

The 90% DVD link is even worse:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/G-Force-DVD-Will-Arnett/dp/B002LL169A

G-Force, £4.50, well that's not 90% off, I don't believe it costs £45.
32 new from £3.50? Nope, £35 is still far too much.
20 used from 1p? Ah, that's it. USED products. Not really great for Christmas presents is it.

Just seems like an excuse to spam MSE's affiliate link during peak shopping season without actually adding any value to me.

A better, more flexible, way to do this is directly through Amazon.

Here's how:

Go to Amazon, search for what you are looking for, e.g., 'tv'

Then, in the address bar at the top, you will see that it says something like:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=tv&x=0&y=0

If you then copy this:

&pct-off=50-99

after the address, and press enter or click go, it will filter to only show items that are reduced by 50% or more (obviously you can change the number 50 to any other discount you like).

Example:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=tv&x=0&y=0&pct-off=50-99

This works anywhere, for example if you are just browsing the site and go to the 'Kitchen and Home' section, then click on 'Casseroles', paste
&pct-off=50-99


after the URL, it will filter by items supposedly reduced by 50% or more.

Unfortunately whichever way you look at it, the search doesn't work very well because there's no option to only look at Amazon's prices and disregard marketsellers, but that is the better way to do it.

The better way to find Amazon discounts is to click on the 'Amazing Offers' link from their homepage.
These items will be genuinely reduced.

I must say I have had a lot of trouble finding any genuine bargains with this tool, amongst all the useless dross.

Also, Amazon are becoming cunning, imho at risk to their good reputation. Example: they published a "Black Friday" "bargain" of a Chambers Dictionary + Chambers crossword dictionary bundle, reduced from £70 to £24.99. Only thing is, although the bundle has never been cheaper, the individual items are available for £20 + £10, so still cheap but not the huge saving it claims to have.. and they claimed the dictionary had a thumb-index but it turns out it does not.

There is no alternative really to actually wanting the item in question, and not finding it cheaper elsewhere - so the generalised "window shopping" approach of the bargains tool is of limited value and more likely to cost money than save it.

Maybe just me but I don't see the point.

If I know what I want then I just enter the item into eBay, Amazon, Google or any other search engine. The item will be listed along with all the available prices, sorted by the cheapest first if I want, & I choose the one that I like. Usually the cheapest.

The only other use I can think of would be if, for example, I wanted to buy a Christmas present but couldn't think what to get.

To keep it simple I chose Toys & games prices between £10 & £20 (I know, I'm a tight a***. I spend too much time on this site:D) with the default 50-100% discount range.

The first item - a Wallace & Gromit game -RRP £29.99, Amazon price £22.70. A 24% saving??
I assume it's including the £10 for a second hand item in the search.

In fact, several of the items on the first page didn't even have an RRP, just a standard price.



But, before I dismiss it completely I'll give it another try

Electronics - Home cinema, TV & Video
£200-£500 with at least 50% discount....

The first item, a used TV- so hardly comparable against an RRP, which wasn't shown anyway.
In all 75% of the items on the first page were TV stands & hi-fi cabinets. Many did not show the RRP or discount.




You asked for Amazon buying tips.
Mine would be to ignore discounts. RRP's and therefore the discounts based on them are not, in my opinion, a reliable guide. Many things probably never get sold at the RRP in the first place.

Better to use the Amazon search tools to find what you're after, then use other search tools to see if it's cheaper elsewhere.

As for the see if it's ever been cheaper - many things have been cheaper in the past. Inflation and other factors have put the prices up. Now if you could tell us if & when prices were going to drop......


You haven't asked for overall opinions so I'll not give one.;)


But like I said - maybe it's just me. If others find it works for them then happy shopping.