We’re only halfway through Amazon’s July Prime Day event. It’s a whopping four days long this year, running through Friday, July 11, which means there are more deals than ever to entice shoppers looking for a bargain.

I was one of those shoppers for years. But I’ve been opting out for a while now. And I’m not the only one.

Some consumers are skipping Prime Day due to tariff-related price increases. Some are boycotting Amazon. Others are participating in No-Buy July.

For me, it comes down to simple ROI: Prime Day offerings just don’t deliver the savings they promise. Here’s why I’m sitting out Amazon’s mega sales event.

🧐 Prime Day ‘discounts’ can be deceiving

Prime Day is often touted as the best time to snag deals on Amazon. But just because items are on sale during Prime Day doesn’t mean you’re getting them at their lowest prices, according to Alaina Fingal, a member of CNET’s Expert Review Board and founder of The Organized Money.

“I am constantly adding things to my Amazon wish list, and many times when I decide to purchase items on Prime Day, I can see that the prices are actually higher than when I originally added the item to my wish list,” Fingal told me during Amazon’s Prime Day event last fall.

Rita Soledad Fernández Paulino, another ERB member and founder of Wealth Para Todos, also told me that not all items are marked down during Prime Day. “Plan ahead and look into what the costs are before you make a purchase so you can see if you’re actually getting a real discount or not.”

CNET shopping editors spend time sorting through deals to highlight the ones that are actually good so you don’t have to.

🤑 There are plenty of other sales events

Prime Day is one of the best-known sales events of the year, but it doesn’t always have the best bargains. You can find deals on other big sales days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Some Amazon competitors, like Best Buy and Target, also host their own sales events to compete with Prime Day.

“Many retailers have better discounts on Prime Day,” said Fingal. “I encourage people looking for a specific item to research because they may get a better deal with another retailer.”

Browser extensions like Honey and Klarna can help you find the lowest prices available online. They can also scan for coupons and apply them to your cart at checkout.

💸 I’m a sucker for promotions

I love the rush of scoring a great deal, but it’s gotten me in trouble more than once. I’ve spent money on things I didn’t need and bought products without researching whether they’re the best option on the market. This is exactly what retailers want when they host limited-time promotions.

“Prime Day encourages impulse shopping,” Fingal said. “Many times, we end up purchasing things that we don’t need. We are shopping with our feelings. Maybe we are bored or just have a fear of missing out, but these feelings can cause us to impulsively purchase items and ruin our budget.”

Some deals even have a countdown timer that shows how much longer the sale price is available. To avoid giving in to a false sense of urgency, Soledad said, “Don’t show up to Amazon Prime Day without already having a list of the items that you want ahead of time.”

📉 I’m already on top of price changes

I use The Camelizer to keep an eye on Amazon deals year-round. The browser extension helped me score an Echo Dot for less than half the list price. Since I didn’t need it urgently, I didn’t mind waiting a few months for it to drop to a more reasonable price.

By monitoring prices on the products I want, I feel better about passing up a promotion because I know I’ll find out when a better deal comes along.

🎁 I stock up on gifts throughout the year

Prime Day can seem like a good time to snag some gifts for later in the year, whether that’s for a family member’s birthday or the holidays. But if there’s a particular gift I know I want to buy, tracking the price and scanning sales is still a better strategy.  

I also look for things my loved ones might like throughout the year. If I find something unique they’ll love — like a handmade craft while I’m on vacation — and it fits my budget, I put it in my gift stockpile. This helps me avoid the last-minute panic that can force me to spend more than I’ve budgeted just to “get something.”

🙅 I refuse to pay a premium for brand-new stuff

A brand-new item on sale can cost more than a gently used version of that same item. While there are some things I’d rather get new, I prefer to buy small electronics şi household decor from thrift stores, garage sales and Facebook Marketplace — or get them for free from my local Buy Nothing group.

That Echo Dot I bought? It was a refurbished older model, but it works great and does everything I want it to. If I were shopping for an Alexa speaker on Prime Day, there’s a good chance the deals would be on the newest model, tempting me to pay more than I want for features I don’t need.

Should you shop Prime Day?

I’m not telling you to avoid Prime Day. Just be aware of any triggers that might lead you to overspend. If you shop smart and avoid emotional purchases, you can snag plenty of great deals.

And if you do decide to check out Prime Day on July 8-11, stay tuned to CNET’s Prime Day coverage for the latest deals and tips to maximize your savings.

More Prime Day shopping tips