Amazon vs Best Buy in the US: when each one actually wins

The "Amazon is always cheapest" myth

For years the default assumption has been that Amazon wins on price. In 2026 that's no longer true across the board. Best Buy aggressively price-matches and runs category-specific promotions that often undercut Amazon once you factor in sales tax and shipping.

We pulled live prices through Magic Lupa for the 10 most-searched electronics SKUs in the US over the last 30 days. Here's what we found:

Where Amazon wins

• Small-ticket items under $50 — Prime free shipping is hard to beat
• Same-day delivery in metro areas — Best Buy can match but not always
• Refurbished electronics with Amazon Renewed warranty
• Niche / long-tail SKUs — Best Buy's catalog is narrower

Where Best Buy wins

• Open-box and clearance — Best Buy's Open Box program is consistently 12-20% cheaper than equivalent on Amazon Warehouse
• TVs over $1,000 — Best Buy frequently runs $100-300 off promos with Geek Squad installation thrown in
• Apple products during back-to-school — Best Buy is an authorized Apple reseller and runs deeper promotions than Amazon
• Pickup-in-store within 1 hour — useful when Amazon's "tomorrow" delivery isn't fast enough

Where neither wins

For certain categories, the answer is neither:

• Cameras and lenses → B&H Photo or Adorama (usually $50-150 cheaper, no sales tax in many states)
• PC components → Newegg (especially during weekly Shell Shocker deals)
• Audiophile gear → Crutchfield (free returns + actual product expertise)

How to check live

Magic Lupa runs the comparison against all 7 verified US retailers (Amazon, Best Buy, Target, Walmart, B&H, Newegg, Costco) plus brand official stores, every time you search. No affiliate links, no tracking. Try it at magiclupa.com.