Black Friday Tech Deals: How to Spot a Fake Discount

This guide is about real stores selling real products at misleading prices. If you’re worried the website itself is fake, or you got a strange “problem with your order” text, read our guide to Black Friday scams instead. That one covers fake shops, phishing and safe ways to pay.

What makes a discount fake?

The FTC’s Guides Against Deceptive Pricing set the standard. A “former price” is a fair comparison only if the store really offered the item at that price to the public, openly, for a reasonably substantial period. If a store sets an artificial, inflated price just so it can advertise a big reduction later, the FTC calls that bargain a false one.

In practice, these are the tricks to watch for on tech:

• An inflated “was” or “list” price the item rarely, if ever, sold at.
• “Compare at” prices borrowed from another seller, or from a price nobody charges anymore.
• Special sale-event models with a slightly different model number and lower specs, so you can’t compare them directly.
• Padded bundles where the extras are worth less than the price suggests.
• “Up to 70% off” banners where only a handful of items get the top discount.

Step 1: Check the real price history

The fastest way to expose a fake “was” price is to see what the item actually sold for over the last few months.

1. Open the product page in Chrome on your computer.
2. Select Shopping insights in the address bar, if it appears. Google says it shows the price history and the typical price range for many products. It’s available in the US and a few other countries.
3. Compare the “sale” price with the typical range. If it’s inside the usual range, it’s a normal price with a sale badge, not a deal.
4. Not ready to buy? Use Chrome’s Track price option to get an alert if the price drops.

Two patterns give fake discounts away. The “was” price only appears in the weeks before Black Friday, or the item has sold at the “sale” price several times this year already. Either way, the urgency is fake, so there’s no rush.

Step 2: Match the exact model number

Laptops, TVs and headphones often come in several versions that look the same in photos. Some are made for one retailer or for sale events, with a slightly different model number and cheaper parts. A “$200 off” label means little if the item isn’t the model that normally sells for the higher price.

• The full model number, including the letters at the end, from the spec sheet rather than the product title.
• Processor generation, RAM and storage on laptops and tablets.
• Screen size, panel type, refresh rate and model year on TVs.
• Ports, battery size and included charger on phones and laptops.
• Warranty length, which can differ between versions.

Step 3: Refurbished, open-box and renewed vs new

The FTC’s online shopping advice says words like “refurbished” and “close-out” can mean a product isn’t in perfect condition. That’s not a reason to avoid them. Refurbished tech can be great value. But the discount should be measured against the current price of a new one, not the original launch price.

• Who refurbished it? The manufacturer, the store or an unnamed third party.
• What warranty comes with it? The FTC says that whenever there’s a warranty, the law requires it to be available for you to read before you buy. Ask for it.
• Is it sold “as is”? That can remove protections you’d otherwise have under state law.
• What’s the return window? It can be shorter for refurbished and open-box items.
• Battery condition on phones and laptops. Our used phone checklist shows what to test.

Step 4: Do the bundle math

Bundles are where a fake discount hides best, because it’s hard to see what each piece costs. Price every item separately at the same store, on the same day, then compare.

Here’s an example with made-up round numbers. A console bundle costs $500 and claims you save $70 on the included game. That week, the console alone is $460 at the same store. The game is really costing you $40, and only if you wanted that game anyway.

• Only count extras you’d buy anyway. A cheap case or cable you don’t need is worth $0 to you.
• “Spend $X, get a $Y gift card” deals are only worth it if you already shop at that store. Target also excludes gift card promotions from price matching.
• Check whether you can return part of a bundle. Often you can’t, so one unwanted item can lock you in.

Step 5: Read the return policy and price-match rules

The FTC suggests checking who pays return shipping and how many days you have before you buy. It also says to look at the total cost, including shipping, taxes and fees. Then check whether the store will refund the difference if the price drops.

How price matching works at two big US stores

• Target matches its own lower price on Target.com, in its stores or in a Target Circle deal, at purchase or within 14 days after. The item must be identical, down to the model number, and you show the live price on your phone. Screenshots don’t count. Its help page says it doesn’t match competitors’ prices.
• Best Buy matches a list of qualified competitors, including Amazon, Walmart, Target and Costco, on identical new products with the same brand, model number and color. Marketplace sellers, clearance, refurbished and open-box items are excluded. Best Buy has also run a holiday price match in past seasons. Check its holiday FAQ for this year’s dates.

If a store doesn’t adjust prices after purchase, returning the item and buying it again at the lower price may work inside the return window. Check for restocking fees first.

A 5-minute fake discount checklist

• Price history checked: the sale price is below the typical range.
• Exact model number matches the version reviewers and other stores sell.
• Condition is clear: new, refurbished, open-box or renewed, with the warranty in writing.
• Every item in a bundle priced separately, and the extras are things you want.
• Total cost includes shipping, taxes and fees.
• Return window and price-match rules read and understood.
• The site is the real store. If you’re unsure, read how to spot a phishing link.

If you already bought at a fake discount

Check whether you’re still inside the return or price-match window, and ask the store for an adjustment with the lower price showing on your screen. If a store’s pricing looks deliberately misleading, you can report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. More shopping and security guides are in our Security section.

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Shopping for software and hosting too? The same rule applies to subscriptions: compare the renewal price, not just the first-year price. Our guides to Microsoft 365 discounts and Hostinger pricing walk through it.

FAQ

Sources

• 16 CFR Part 233 (Guides Against Deceptive Pricing (eCFR))
• Online Shopping (FTC Consumer Advice)
• Warranties (FTC Consumer Advice)
• Shopping insights and price tracking in Chrome (Google Chrome Help)
• Price Match Guarantee (Target Help)
• Price Match Guarantee (Best Buy)
• Price Match Guarantee qualified competitors (Best Buy)