Amazon Lightning (Aren't Actually) Deals - anyone noticed?

[ThreeofUs]

Has anyone noticed that many of Amazon's Lightning Deals actually aren't great deals?

Toys on the LDs have gone down in price since they were on the deals page. And other things for sale aren't very good discounts/good prices at all. (I saw a pair of black diamond/white gold earrings coming up today. Amazon lists the price at over $1K, their current price at $599, where the current regular price for what looks like the identical earrings on the web is $495.)

Wasn't it different last year? It seems to me that last year there were some fantastic deals last year, but this year I'm definitely just watching.

Sheesh. Marketing.

[lilhilly]

IIRC, the really good Amazon deals last year weren't lightning deals, just toys that suddenly dropped in price -- right around this date. So I'm keeping my eyes peeled! Hanukkah is over as of tonight, so I'm more stocking up for birthdays.

[egoldber]

IIRC, the really good Amazon deals last year weren't lightning deals, just toys that suddenly dropped in price

This is what I recall as well. I remember getting tons of games, but they weren't lightning deals.

[brittone2]

I keep waiting for more deals to stock the gift closet a little and for a few friends' children, but haven't seen anything that was super impressive this year. The M&D stuff was a decent deal but most of DS1 and DD's friends are moving beyond the M&D toys.

[JJMom]

Agree. Since the Cyber Week Deals ended last week, the deals have been luke warm at best. Although, I am sure my UPS man is extremely grateful that he doesn't have to make that long walk to the front door everyday.

[Binkandabee]

I noticed this too. And some that are a lower price are only a few dollars off the normal price ($5.00 or less)...certainly nothing that is going to make me buy it on an impulse for sure. I've got to the point I'm not even checking them anymore.

I've bought one lonely lightening deal...Kirby's Epic Yarn. It was $5.00 off and it's on DD's wish list.

I'm still holding out for the toy deals...they seem to be trickling in now but this next week should be when the real deals are available.

[Pinky]

I agree! The only thing that I almost jumped on was the little walk behind red wagon! Wish I had got that one! :)

[jenfromnj]

Has anyone noticed that many of Amazon's Lightning Deals actually aren't great deals?


Yes! I had my eye on a couple of things in the past few days, but the prices weren't really all that great. As you said, the regular Amazon price is usually close to the lighting price. I've noticed that a lot of the deals have been expiring without selling out, which I rarely saw last year.

I'm also wondering whether my expectations for the deals are just a lot higher this year, in light of last year--last year, I wasn't expecting the lightning deals or other great deals (like I am now), so maybe that's part of my disappointment?

Fingers crossed for the toy deals to start coming at us!

[egoldber]

I checked my Amazon order history for 2009 :o and most of my orders were placed in the week before Christmas with some starting as early as 12/10.

[larig]

I checked my Amazon order history for 2009 :o and most of my orders were placed in the week before Christmas with some starting as early as 12/10.

Ooh, thanks for checking. That is exciting! Love the BBB during the holidays! It's like an adventure.

[TwinFoxes]

I think the shopping season is much more successful for retailers this year compared to 2009. We may not see some of the deep discounts we got last year.

[KrisM]

I checked my Amazon order history for 2009 :o and most of my orders were placed in the week before Christmas with some starting as early as 12/10.

I just did that, too :). I had zero orders between Nov 23 and Dec 11. I had a page worth from the 19th on! A few as late as the 22nd and 23rd.

Also the Target big sale was the 10th, I think. I think the deals so far all around are not as great, but we're on the early side.

[ThreeofUs]

I checked my Amazon order history for 2009 :o and most of my orders were placed in the week before Christmas with some starting as early as 12/10.


Interesting - I checked mine and they were all before 12/9!

And it's not like I need anything for the kids. I need for DH.

[div_0305]

In general the LD have been lackluster, but I got in on a great one a week ago for Legos. It was an Atlantis set for 59.99, reg. 99.99. So I'm happy so far b/c it was a really good one for my toy list. As far as when prices dropped last year, things started falling really low in the last 2 weeks before xmas.

[zoestargrove]

I was thinking the very same thing. Last year was so much fun - I do hope this year gets a little more intersting.

[sewarsh]

Amazon STINKS this year.
First of all, the lightning deals were gone in like 2 seconds and now these other deals STINK!

So far this year I got:
- Lightning Lego deal
- Busytown game yesterday
- Glow in Dark stars yesterday

Last year:
- only 2 orders place between Thanksgiving and Dec 8, 2009
- 19 (YES, NINETEEN) orders placed between Dec 9-Dec 25

SO THERE's STILL LOTS OF TIME!

BUT I feel like a bunch were price mistakes (Plan Toys).

[Puddy73]

I agree, it hasn't been much fun yet this year. Also, some of the Lightning Deal choices are just odd. Canned pumpkin and a dog grooming rake? Not what I want under my tree.

[musicalgrl]

I have been thinking the same thing! Amazon can keep it's pumpkin - I want some deeply discounted toys! LOL...

[lmwbasye]

Oho...I *think* we have this same thread each year around this time. Amazon really doesn't start getting cheap until around the 10th and really the week after.

It's still early. :)

[AnnieW625]

I think the shopping season is much more successful for retailers this year compared to 2009. We may not see some of the deep discounts we got last year.

I am 99.9% sure that is part of it!

Last year the best toy deals I found were from Target and were posted on AOL that someone posted here. It was right around this time last year.

[arivecchi]

I agree, it hasn't been much fun yet this year. Also, some of the Lightning Deal choices are just odd. Canned pumpkin and a dog grooming rake? Not what I want under my tree.:yeahthat::rotflmao:

The deals so far have been very MEH. I will wait till next week and see what happens. :) Ah, living on the edge! :tongue5:

[MommyofAmaya]

Oho...I *think* we have this same thread each year around this time. Amazon really doesn't start getting cheap until around the 10th and really the week after.

It's still early. :)

This.

I think they wait until everybody already has their shopping done, so people are forced to buy MORE. I don't think I bought anything last year, as painful as it was to resist, b/c there was nothing left on any list to buy at that point.

[essnce629]

I just checked my Amazon history as well and I didn't really start ordering till December 11th last year. I had 18 orders between the 11th and 22nd! The only great deal I got last year before the 11th were all those Bakugan Booster Packs that were $1.99. And this year I've only ordered a few things so far that were good deals (Sprig recycling truck and M&D Fill and Spill basket). I always wait till the last minute to buy gifts since I'm a procrastinator so it actually works well for me! And having Amazon Prime is great for ordering up until the very end!

[WatchingThemGrow]

I will be out of town on the 11th, so hearing that it may start around then is great. Delivery trucks are already stopping here daily as it is.

[BeachBum]

I had never thought about checking my Amazon history before...thanks for that idea!
I had 21 orders ship after the 10th. (WOW)
But when I look back at WHAT I bought and how much of it we are still using...the "good stuff" was all stuff I had planned to buy anyway...and much of the "it's a good deal" stuff has since been donated, or should be. UGH.
I need to be much more choosey!

[viba424]

How do you find the best deal in the toys section? What is the outlet exactly? Do you look there? I usually just sort by age range, but I dont trust their filters. Sometimes they are way off or eliminate things I would want.

[sfmom]

That's what I've been saying!!!! I posted a few weeks ago about not seeing the great deals I saw last year --namely the Target/AOL deal and the Old Navy 40% thing. I'm so disappointed!

Having said that I did do some major shopping for the kids on black friday. I got some good deals at Children's Place and the Gap. I really needed winter clothes for the kids and could not wait any longer (I had been counting the days until BF). I got a few toys at Target (not too many) that were priced at or below the "door buster" prices at TRU.

I am still keeping my eyes open on all the deal boards to see if anything interesting is coming up. Nada so far. But as the PP mentioned, the deals came around this time of the year. If and when I do find awesome deals, fear not...I'll be sure to post it here.

[glbb35]

I agree with a lot of what is being said. The deals to me aren't that great and for the things we have been looking for, seem to go so quickly. Who has the time to sit around and wait as the clock ticks down anyway? I swear some days they have only like 5 of any particular item and that is why they are gone in 10 seconds or less.

That being said I have picked up a few things here and there from Amazon and am happy with what we have. I am done shopping this year and really don't need anything else. We really don't even need gifts to store for later as we stocked up so well in January from the Borders sale last year that we are still giving a lot of those items away.

I am really researching things this year. We just don't need a lot of stuff in the house. The whole less is more thing. Or should I say fewer, better quality gifts this Christmas. When I do look up my history from last year I too was one of those who hit pay dirt the week of Christmas. Many of those items couldn't be guaranteed to come in before Christmas and you know we received every one of them when they were suppose to arrive. I don't think this years (and for the bargain hunters I hope I am wrong) pre-Christmas sales will be much. But I will certainly keep an eye out as you never know.

Thanks to all the posters of good bargains and deals. I appreciate you taking the time to post the bargains that have been posted. It is such fun.

Happy Holidays to all!!!

B

DS 03, 06 and twins 09!

[DrSally]

I haven't gotten any Amazon lightening deals this year thus far. Nothing is knocking my socks off...

[KrisM]

That's what I've been saying!!!! I posted a few weeks ago about not seeing the great deals I saw last year --namely the Target/AOL deal and the Old Navy 40% thing. I'm so disappointed!


That was Dec 10, IIRC. It came up here a week or two ago and someone found that it was the 10th. Still too early!

[viba424]

Yah I noticed the sales werent that great - virtually nonexistent during black friday, but I remember last year everyone getting a ton. I think they are competing hardcore with Walmart so we will see some price wars in the coming weeks Im sure.

[sste]

:yeahthat::rotflmao:

The deals so far have been very MEH. I will wait till next week and see what happens. :) Ah, living on the edge! :tongue5:


I agree - - and same for the non-lightening toy deals.

Do you think they essentially directed the money discount in sale toys into amazon mom/free prime shipping?

Or that with free returns on baby items running crazy sales might be dangerous because people can return for free something they ordered in the past whatever days and buy the item now on deep discount sale with free prime shipping?

I want to journey into the heart and soul of the amazon beast and figure this out. I want my toy deals!

[WolfpackMom]

That was Dec 10, IIRC. It came up here a week or two ago and someone found that it was the 10th. Still too early!

I am going to be 150% bummed if the deals don't come this weekend!

[inmypjs]

I've been thinking the same thing about the deals being lackluster so far. I'm hoping the bargains pick up next week!

[KrisM]

I am going to be 150% bummed if the deals don't come this weekend!

Hey, just don't blame me if they don't!

[WolfpackMom]

Hey, just don't blame me if they don't!

:rotflmao: haha no that wasnt what I meant by that, you aren't the only one who has mentioned this weekend. I just meant in general!

[kristac]

I have been burned on nearly every "lightning deal" I've grabbed. Snap Circuits and the Tonka Mod Machines truck have both gone lower as non lightning deals. I'm not even looking at the price on the radio flyer walker wagon anymore because if it goes under $50 I will cry.
All this to say I'm just going to watch the regular deals and ignore the lightning deals (in theory).