We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more›
Advice, staff picks, mythbusting, and more. Let us help you.
Nathan Burrow
Share this post
For great everyday deals, visit our Deals page, follow us on Twitter @WirecutterDeals, and subscribe to our daily deals newsletter.
Imagine this scenario: After you finally find what seems to be an amazing deal on the backpack you’ve been eyeing for months, the package arrives at your doorstep. Giddy with excitement, you tear open the packaging, only to realize the finishes look different and the threading at the seams is already starting to unravel. On closer inspection, you start to wonder: Is this even what I ordered? And you realize that you’ve been duped—and you have almost no recourse.
We never want that to happen to you, which is why we post deals only from sellers we’d be happy to recommend to a friend (or use ourselves). This is the most important rule we follow when the Wirecutter Deals team hunts for bargains, and it becomes even more important when there are shortages or other pressures that create a sense of urgency. It’s also especially critical around deal holidays like Prime Day and Black Friday: When everything seems like a steal, it’s easy to get swept up and make a mistake. We bring intensive research to every deal, whether we post it on our Wirecutter Deals page, in our daily deals newsletter, or during events like Cyber Monday or Labor Day sales. Here’s what we keep an eye out for—and what you can look for, too.
We vet sellers year-round, but that need becomes much more apparent during major deals holidays where we see more deals from a wider variety of retailers and third-party sellers (who sell under the umbrella of larger sites like Amazon or eBay) than at any other point throughout the year. In fact, in times of scarcity—or when supply-chain issues are present—Amazon leans even more heavily on third-party sellers.
Having more options available is all the more reason to examine every retailer thoroughly. Smaller stores on sites like those of Amazon and Walmart may have different return policies or slower shipping times than their host sites do. That’s one reason we don’t necessarily pick big online stores over smaller retailers when we scan for deals. Here’s how the Wirecutter Deals team evaluates potential retailers:
A big purchase shouldn’t be a big risk, so when we evaluate deals on expensive goods, we take pains to determine whether the store offering the item is an authorized reseller (often indicated by a badge that says so but verifiable on manufacturer websites). If you buy from a seller that isn’t authorized, some manufacturers won’t honor the warranty—even with proof of purchase—if something goes wrong with your item.
When you pull up your digital cart to check out at a large retailer like Amazon or Walmart, you might think that the item you’ve been coveting is shipped and sold by that retailer. That isn’t always the case.
Wirecutter’s Ganda Suthivarakom wrote extensively in 2020 about counterfeits on Amazon. Issues with e-commerce sites offering fake or otherwise unsatisfactory (or even unsafe) products are ongoing, and Wirecutter is working to provide you with actionable advice and to expose myths about online shopping and counterfeit items. The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) and The New York Times have also highlighted problems with counterfeit products and content, specifically at Amazon. The mounting evidence is all the more reason to vet third-party sellers, which seem to be the primary culprits in selling fake products.
We lean heavily toward posting Amazon deals that are both sold and shipped by the online retail behemoth, and for deals on products sold via third-party sellers, we’re especially diligent in checking reviews and policies. Although the government and Amazon itself have taken an interest in stemming the tide of counterfeit products, we’re going to continue thoroughly researching our posted deals to ensure we’re doing our part.
Scrutinizing retailers is a fair bit of work and not something most people have the time or inclination to do—and that’s why we do it for you. Happy shopping!
Sign up for our newsletter to get the best deals on our tested picks sent directly to your inbox. Or see the latest deals now.
Amazon Prime Day is on! This piece rounds up all of the best Prime Day deals we found on the first day of the sales event that are still kicking on day 2.
What constitutes an official Wirecutter Deal? Let us explain.
Which products are most likely to see great deals this month? The Wirecutter Deals team makes its expert predictions.
Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time).
