How to Tell a Real Discount From a Fake One

Retailers have gotten good at making a normal price look like a deal. Before you trust a discount, run it through a few checks.

Check the price history, not the sticker

A "was $80, now $40" tag only means something if $80 was a real price people actually paid recently, not a number invented the day before the sale started. That's why every deal on this site shows a 90-day price history chart. If the line has been flat at $40 for months and suddenly shows an $80 "was" price, that's marketing, not a discount.

Watch for list-price inflation

Some retailers quietly raise the listed price for a few days right before a sale, so the discount percentage looks bigger while the real price barely moves.

Compare the unit price, not just the tag

A bigger pack at a bigger discount isn't automatically cheaper per ounce, per item, or per use. Do the division before you buy in bulk.

The short version: a real deal is one that's still a good price next to its own history, not just next to a number the retailer picked for the tag.