Buying a games console this Prime Day? Don't make these 5 mistakes

Amazon Prime Day is nearly upon us and naturally, there will be plenty of tempting deals across all of the big three gaming console platforms. Whether you're looking to upgrade to current-gen with a PS5 or Xbox Series X, fancy going all-digital with the cheaper Xbox Series S, or just want some of that Nintendo magic via the Switch, everything is expected to receive some sort of discount come the big day. 

Prime Day is one of the best times of the year to go shopping for gaming hardware, but having covered these big sales events multiple times, there are some pro tips we here at 12DOVE would recommend sticking to. Retailers may be great since they provide the deals we all wait for, but there are plenty of misdealings to watch out for. This is extremely common when it comes to Prime Day gaming deals, and depending on your region may have gone unregulated for too long to keep track of. 

Luckily, we're here to help. We want to make sure you leave Prime Day happy with your console purchases, so you don't spend over the odds and take home the maximum value for your money. With all that in mind, here are five mistakes to avoid when buying a games console this Prime Day.

Not checking for deals early 

Prime Day runs for a few official days every July, but the event itself tends to have a knock-on effect for the whole week or two on either side of it. Sometimes, the best deals are the early bird offers, and we'd recommend strongly that you keep an eye out for these price drops in particular. Stock issues aren't the issue they used to be, but keeping your eyes peeled early also means you have less competition for securing stock. 

We'll be covering the early deals for each console, so stay tuned to our coverage, but setting a notification a few days early to tell you it's time to start shopping might not be such a bad idea. 

Thinking all deals are actually good

In this day and age of online retail, I don't think people are nearly clued up enough on how much different stores lie about discounts. So much of the time, we see a strikethrough price and a percentage off, and we look no further, believing that it must be a genuine discount. Unfortunately, third-party sellers, a lack of regulation, and scalpers mean that there are a lot of scams and a lot of phony deals out there - particularly in the gaming market. 

If there's a certain machine you're keen to buy, study up. Being armed with the knowledge of its MSRP (manufacturer-suggested retail price) is invaluable, and can help you have a baseline of what prices to look out for. If you're shopping on Amazon, services like CamelCamelCamel can help you check price history to determine if something is a good deal or not. 

Similarly, if something is too good to be true, red flags should be raised before hitting the very tempting "buy now" button. A trick can be to look at user reviews, and suppliers, and only trust retailers that are well-known. 

Buying from scalpers

This ties into the "not all deals are deals" section, but seriously, the amount of scalping that's been done this console generation is something we should all try to delete from human history. It's shameful, there's no place for it, and no matter how much someone tries to tell you it's about supply and demand, they're talking utter nonsense. Tell them to read a real economics textbook, get off 4Chan, and do not buy their stock. While you're at it, report them to someone if possible too. 

If you see a games console at higher than MSRP, turn back, you've taken a wrong turn somewhere, and that's easily done. On sites like Amazon, Walmart, and Newegg, where third-party sellers can list bundles and their own stock, there's very little safeguarding against people hiking up the price of goods.

Scalping doesn't help anyone - consumers, suppliers, and manufacturers all suffer as a result. Buying from scalpers is totally unnecessary these days too, because stock levels mean it's easy to get a hold of your gaming platform of choice.  

Not checking other retailers

Prime Day is a deceptive name. Yes, the event began as an Amazon-only thing, but as its popularity and reputation have grown into a second Black Friday, other retailers have joined in the fun. That's honestly made things better because more competition breeds cheaper prices for all of us. 

That said, one of the biggest mistakes you can make this Prime Day is stopping your search at Uncle Jeff's Ring Doorbell-secured gates. Check out the deals at other retailers because you'll probably find better bundles, increased stock levels, and better context for what is a good deal.

Dismissing the open box deals 

I totally understand you. You're buying a games console, so you want a brand new shiny one that's clean and fresh out of the box. In all honesty, quality assurance on the majority of pre-owned game consoles, these days is pretty great, and you could save yourself a small fortune if you're willing to consider the open-box options. 

Just think of the money you might have spare if you buy second-hand. Would it be enough for another controller, a headset, or that game you thought you'd have to save extra for?

Seriously, don't sleep on the pre-owned options.

Now that you know what mistakes to avoid and how to get the maximum amount of value from your purchase, here's where to find the best Prime Day PS5 deals as well as the best Prime Day Nintendo Switch deals for 2023.