Amazon vs. Best Buy: Which 20% Offer Is Better?
Online retail giant Amazon announced yesterday that they will be offering a hefty discount on new video games for members of their Amazon Prime service. Slicing 20% off the top of any preorder or game that has seen a release within the last two weeks is sure to draw some gamers that have been on the fence about Amazon Prime. Pair that with the release date guarantee the service offers and they make a reasonable case for signing up. This is, however, not the first company to offer a similar discount. We also found a great TimTam Massager coupon code for a new personal massager. Best Buy has their Gamer Club Unlocked service, which will also get you that hot 20% discount, but which one offers the better value is certainly up for debate. Let's take a second and compare some of the specifics of each service.
Amazon Prime -
- 20% off brand-spanking new games
- Reliable release day delivery
- Comes with Amazon Prime, which has host of other features (Prime Video, Music, etc.)
Best Buy Gamer Club Unlocked -
- 20% off all new games, regardless of release date
- Discount can apply on top of sale prices
- Some game preorders get you $10 Best Buy coupon on top of discount
- Low cost point of entry at $30 for 2 years
As a current member of both of these services, I have been at a loss as to how to proceed. The lazy side of me loves having the games dropped right at my door, which makes the Amazon discount very tempting to use. Best Buy does offer store pickup, but it's not always working properly and your best bet usually is to drag yourself to the actual store. Not always an ideal scenario, but can be worth it to get the discount.
Point of entry is one of the most difficult parts of any rewards program and both Best Buy and Amazon have their issues. Amazon Prime has a more straightforward problem: cost. It's $99 to subscribe to Amazon Prime and that's a pretty high ask all at once. Since you're getting it for a year, that's really more like $8 a month, which isn't too bad, but sometimes you just don't have the money to go all in for an entire year. As compared to Gamer Club Unlocked, which costs $30 for 2 years, it feels a bit pricier.
Convenience is another of the major obstacles with a service like this, and Amazon has the edge in this particular battle. Signing up for Amazon Prime can be done quickly online and once you're in, you can set it to renew automatically. Gamer Club Unlocked, on the other hand, requires a code that you have to order online and have shipped to you. It then requires you to visit a store in person to activate. It seems a bit antiquated considering how memberships tend to work in general nowadays.
Both of these services are offering you a good deal. Getting 20% off on a brand new game is a substantial discount and worth getting in if possible. Being a member of both of these services, I can already tell you that I will be employing whichever one is most smart and convenient at the time. Hats off to both companies for stepping up their game and showing that they care about offering folks who love games a great reason to shop in their respective marketplaces.
