Is That Black Friday Deal Real? How to Check Any Amazon Price

The three step check

• First, find the price per unit, not the pack price. A bigger bundle can cost more per load or per pod.
• Next, find the listing's lowest price per unit in the last 90 days. That is the price to beat.
• Last, if today's price is at or under the price to beat, it is a real deal. If not, the badge is only a label.

Check any Amazon link

Paste any Amazon product link into the Dealophant deal checker. It shows today's price per unit next to that listing's own 90-day history, so you can see in one look whether the sale is a real low. It is free and needs no sign up.

What real lows look like right now

The cards below show live prices for three staples people often buy on Black Friday. Each card shows the listing's 90-day low, and a badge says whether today's price is a real low or how far above its low it sits.

• Laundry detergent: 2 of the top 3 listings are at their 90-day low.
• K-Cups: 1 of the top 3 listings are at their 90-day low.
• AA batteries: 1 of the top 3 listings are at their 90-day low.

Signs a discount is not what it looks like

• The percent off is large, but the price per unit is higher than the listing's 90-day low.
• The pack size changed. Fewer sheets, pods or ounces for a similar price is a price rise.
• The deal is on a bundle you would not buy otherwise, so the savings only exist on paper.
• A countdown timer pushes you to decide fast. Real lows come back; check the history first.

More Black Friday help

See every checked deal on the Black Friday page, stock up with the Black Friday Stock-Up List, and read how Dealophant calculates price per unit. Prices change during the day, so confirm the price on Amazon before you order.