Does Best Buy Price Match Newegg in 2024? Full Guide
In today’s competitive retail landscape, savvy shoppers are always on the lookout for the best deals. Price-matching policies offered by major retailers can be a valuable tool for ensuring you get the lowest price on desired products. However, these policies are often complex, with various rules, exclusions, and limitations that can be confusing.
One frequently asked question is: Does Best Buy’s price match Newegg’s? The straightforward answer is no, Best Buy does not currently price match Newegg’s online pricing as of 2024.
This guide explains Best Buy’s price-matching rules, why they stopped matching Newegg, and Newegg’s price guarantee. It offers tips for finding great deals without price matching. We’ll cover when price matching may still work and look at alternatives from other big retailers.
What is Price Matching and How Does it Work?
Before we get into the specifics of Best Buy and Newegg’s policies, let’s quickly go over what price matching means for consumers. Price matching is when a retailer agrees to match a lower advertised price for an identical product from a competitor. This allows shoppers to get the best available price without having to purchase from multiple stores.
The process typically works like this: you find a product you want at one retailer, but discover another retailer is advertising that same product for less. You can then request that the first retailer match the lower price, either at the time of purchase or after the fact, by providing proof of the competitor’s pricing.
Major retailers implement price matching to remain competitive and prevent losing sales to rivals offering better deals. It’s a customer-friendly policy that can save shoppers money while keeping their business.
Does Best Buy Currently Price Match Newegg?
No, as of 2024, Best Buy does not price match Newegg’s online pricing. This is a change from the past, as Best Buy previously included Newegg in its price-matching policy up until September 2019.
In September 2019, PC Gamer reported that Best Buy had quietly removed Newegg from the list of approved retailers it would price match, leaving Amazon as the only major option for price-matching online PC hardware and components.
Best Buy’s Current Price Matching Policy
To understand why Newegg was removed, it’s helpful to look at Best Buy’s current price-matching requirements. According to Best Buy’s website, the retailer will match the pricing of local brick-and-mortar retail competitors within a 25-mile radius, as well as the online pricing from a select group of approved retailers:
- Amazon.com
- Crutchfield.com
- Dell.com
- HP.com
However, Best Buy specifically notes they will not price match products sold by third-party Marketplace vendors on those sites, only items shipped and sold directly by the approved retailers themselves.
There are several other key requirements and exclusions to be aware of:
- The product must be new, identical, and immediately available from the competitor
- Items on Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or other major holiday sales are excluded
- Membership program pricing and bundles are not eligible
- Products listed as limited quantity or clearance items do not qualify
To request a price match, customers can use Best Buy’s online chat, call 1-888-237-8289, or visit a Best Buy retail store in person with proof of the lower price.
In addition, Best Buy allows price matching for up to 15 days after purchase if you find a lower price during the standard return and exchange window.
Why Did Best Buy Stop Price Matching Newegg?
Best Buy did not provide an official reason for removing Newegg from its approved price match list back in 2019. However, there are a few potential explanations:
- Reduce Losses: Price matching inherently means taking a lower profit margin, or even a loss, on certain sales to match competitors’ pricing. Removing Newegg may have been a cost-saving measure for Best Buy.
- Policy Changes: The company may have reevaluated its criteria for approved price match sources and decided Newegg no longer met those standards.
- Vendor Requests: It’s possible Best Buy’s product vendors or partners requested Newegg be removed to limit aggressive price matching.
Interestingly, Newegg wasn’t the only retailer Best Buy stopped price matching in 2019. A few months prior in April, the company also removed B&H Photo Video from its list, potentially part of the same policy reevaluation.
Newegg’s Price Match Guarantee Program
While Best Buy no longer price matches Newegg, the electronics retailer does offer its own “Price Match Guarantee” program that shoppers can take advantage of. However, it has some strict limitations compared to price matching at Best Buy.
The key things to know about Newegg’s price matching policy:
- It only applies to specific items marked with a “Price Match Guarantee” badge on the product page
- You must submit a claim within 14 calendar days of purchase
- Newegg will match prices from itself as well as “major retailers” it approves
- If approved, you receive a credit good for use on Newegg for 90 days, not an instant refund
Newegg’s price matching excludes major holiday sales events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Comparison of Price Matching Policies
Compared directly, Best Buy’s price matching policy is generally more consumer-friendly and flexible than Newegg’s offering:
- Best Buy matches more retailers, while Newegg’s is limited to select “major” ones
- Best Buy provides an immediate refund rather than a site credit
- Best Buy’s policy has a longer matching window after purchase
- Best Buy covers popular holiday sales that Newegg excludes
The downside is that if you want to price-match online retailers for PC components and hardware, Newegg was the main option Best Buy offered until mid-2019. Now shoppers need to look elsewhere.
How to Get the Best Deals Without Price Matching
Since price matching Newegg is no longer an option at Best Buy, shoppers need to get savvier about finding the lowest prices through research and timing purchases strategically.
Some tips for getting good deals without relying on price matching:
Research thoroughly across retailers: Check pricing not just on Newegg and Best Buy’s website, but across other major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, B&H Photo Video, and more. Browser extensions like Honey can automate some of this search process.
Use price tracking tools: Sites like CamelCamelCamel and Keepa track pricing histories on Amazon to show temporary price drops and help time your purchases. There are similar trackers for other stores.
Wait for major sales events: Around Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and other major holiday periods, retailers tend to offer deep discounts through advertised “doorbusters” and other promotions that may beat typical pricing.
Consider third-party marketplaces: While not eligible for price matching at Best Buy, third-party sellers on sites like Amazon, Newegg, and eBay can sometimes offer the lowest prices through individual vendors.
The trade-off is these strategies require more research effort and potential waiting compared to the convenience of price matching at the time of checkout.
When Price Matching Still Makes Sense
Despite Best Buy’s policy changes around Newegg, there are still some circumstances where price matching can be a smart move:
For must-have products needed immediately: If you need an item right away and can’t wait for a potential future sale, price-matching approved retailers can ensure you get the lowest available price upfront.
To avoid shipping costs/delays: Even if a price is lower online, factoring in shipping fees or potential delivery delays could make an in-store purchase through price matching the better overall value.
For products with better return policies in-store: Similar to shipping costs, the convenience of an easy local return may outweigh savings from ordering online in some cases.
And of course, price matching is always an option for those approved retailers on Best Buy’s policy. Just be sure to follow the requirements around timing, eligibility, exclusions, and having valid proof of the lower price.
Other Price Matching Alternatives
Outside of traditional retailer price matching policies, there are a couple of other options savvy shoppers should be aware of:
Credit card price protection: Some credit cards offer price protection programs that will refund you the difference if a lower price is found within a set window after your purchase. Terms vary by the card issuer.
Retailers that don’t price match: While not directly “price matching,” being aware of which major retailers consistently aim to have low pricing like Walmart and Amazon can eliminate the need to price match in the first place.
Staying Up-to-Date on Price Matching Policies
As the situation with Best Buy removing Newegg demonstrates, retailer price-matching policies can change over time. What may have been an approved source for price matching one year could get removed the next.
To ensure you have the latest accurate information, it’s crucial to check the current price matching terms directly on retailer websites before making any purchasing decisions based on the policy. Retailer policies get updated periodically, so older information found online or in print may no longer be valid.
This Best Buy price match Newegg guide was last updated on September 10, 2019, but readers should still verify Best Buy’s policy has not changed further before relying on the information presented here.
In Summary
While Best Buy no longer price matches Newegg as of 2024, the retailer still offers price matching against a select group of online and local competitors like Amazon, Dell, and HP. Their policy has some key exclusions but can provide savings for eligible products when utilized properly.
Newegg has its own more limited “Price Match Guarantee” program, but it lacks the same flexibility and convenience as Best Buy’s generalized policy. For PC hardware and components specifically, this leaves fewer price-matching options.
When price matching isn’t available, smart shoppers can still snag great deals through diligent research across retailers, utilizing price tracking tools, and timing purchases for major sales events. Considering third-party marketplace sellers is another option.
While the loss of price matching Newegg is unfortunate for bargain hunters, being an informed consumer about retailer policies and prices can still unlock significant savings. The golden rule is to check price-matching fine print, as retailers can and do update these programs periodically based on their business needs.
