Buying TVs At Best Buy Vs Amazon: How They Truly Compare In Prices, Inventory, & More

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Looking for the best deal on your new TV? You've probably already thought to check Amazon and Best Buy, two of the largest electronics retailers in the world. But which of these two giants offer a better deal?

The answer comes down to more than just the price tag. You also have to consider membership benefits, shipping time and cost, discounts, bundles, and more. Both retailers offer unique price cuts, warranties, installation services, and a widespread inventory of the best TVs.

First things first, we'll compare the prices of popular TVs at various price points for both retailers. We've chosen TVs ranging from $500 to $5,000 to get an accurate reading of price comparisons. As you'll see, these retailers tend to price match each other quite closely, but offer value in other areas that may entice you to click "Add to cart" on one site over the other.

Starting off with a popular budget option for a UHD TV, the 65-inch Samsung Q7F. At Amazon, this TV is currently listed at $427.99, marked down from its usual retail price of $499.99. At Best Buy, the story is largely the same, with a sale price coming in at $429.99 and a retail price of $499.99. That's just a $2 difference.

Next, a price jump to the 75-inch Hisense U6 Pro Series. This display currently costs $898.99 at Amazon, marked down from $1,399.99. Looking at the same TV at Best Buy, the price is just $1 off of Amazon at $899.99 on sale and $1,399.99 normally. Reaching into the realm of more expensive TVs, the Sony 77-inch Bravia XR8B is $2,098.00 (down from $2,499.99) at Amazon and $2,099.99 (also marked down from $2,499.99) at Best Buy for another $1 difference.

There isn't much difference when you get up into the $5,000 range, either. The 100-inch Samsung QN80H Series is $5,497.99 at Amazon and $5,499.99 at Best Buy for a $2 difference. As you can see, both retailers are price matched within a few dollars, even when on sale. So ultimately, your purchasing decision will come down to factors like membership benefits, shipping, and bundles.

With prices so closely matched across retailers, deal hunters have to find advantages elsewhere. First, take a look at the warranties both Amazon and Best Buy offer. Using the 65-inch Samsung Q7F as an example, Amazon offers a cheaper 2-year warranty through Samsung Care+, coming in at $44.99, compared to Best Buy's 2-year Geek Squad Protection plan, which costs $79.99. Interestingly, the 5-year warranty at Best Buy is actually more affordable, costing $89.99 compared to Amazon's $149.99 for five years of coverage.

Bundled discounts are also worth considering. Amazon is more hit-or-miss with bundles, whereas Best Buy has "Special Offers" on just about every TV. Amazon offers "1 Month of Xbox GamePass for new users" — which is not exactly exclusive to this offer, new users to Xbox GamePass can get one month for $1, regardless of a television purchase — whereas Best Buy allows you to create your own bundle of TV accessories like wall mounts, HDMI cables, and more at up to a 10% discount.

Shipping reveals some important distinctions, too. Everyone knows about Amazon's famous same-day shipping, so it's no surprise they have a slight edge over Best Buy here and can ship the 65-inch Samsung Q7F within just 24 hours, whereas Best Buy estimates 48. However, Best Buy offers a buy online, pickup in store option that Amazon doesn't for this TV – meaning you could reserve your purchase, then pick your TV up within an hour. As far as inventory goes, it's no surprise Amazon has the edge here. Atop its line of Fire TVs (many of which Best Buy does not carry), there are far more third-party sellers and international brands at Amazon — you can easily check by searching "4K TV" and seeing that Best Buy has around 930 results, whereas Amazon has well over 1,000.