This week, I opened three different shopping apps in rotation. With discount alerts pouring in from Target, Walmart, and Best Buy, it was quite overwhelming. So, I organized everything by date.

First, let's look at the big picture. The first week of October this year had most of the sales events clustered together. Amazon Prime Big Deal Days were held for two days, from October 6 to 7.

Amazon's deals were exclusive to Prime members, so non-members could only browse. New deals were released three times a day at midnight, 8 AM, and 1 PM Pacific Time.

Target also had its Target Circle Deal Days on the same dates, October 6 and 7. Paid Circle 360 members could access some deals a day earlier, starting October 5.

Walmart had the longest event. Walmart Deal Days started on October 5 and continued until Sunday, October 11. It opened at midnight Eastern Time and was available to everyone without a membership.

Best Buy was a bit different. I couldn't find any specific events with set dates, but they had competing discounts during the same week.

So, how should you have navigated these dates? October 5 was Walmart's first day and Circle 360 early access day. For urgent items like household or kitchen goods, it was convenient to check Walmart first on this day.

October 6 and 7 were the real battlegrounds. With Amazon, Target, and Walmart all running deals simultaneously, it was a great day to compare prices for the same items across all three stores.

Target Circle Deals are available to anyone who becomes a free Circle member. If you have a Circle card, you get an additional 5% off at checkout, which I found quite beneficial.

From October 8 to 11, Walmart was the only player left. Even today, as you read this, Walmart's event is still ongoing, so if you missed it, check back over the weekend.

In fact, this is where the real strategy begins. Just because the sales are over doesn't mean it's finished; you still need to keep an eye on the prices of the items you bought.

Target allows you to request a price match within 14 days of purchase. If you bought something on the 7th, you can check if the price on target.com has dropped by the 21st.

However, there's one important thing to note. Starting in the summer of 2025, Target will no longer match competitor prices. They will only compare prices from their own channels, like Target stores, target.com, and the Target app.

Also, the proof required can be quite strict. They don't accept screenshots; you need to pull up the target.com page on your phone for the employee to verify.

On the other hand, Best Buy still has competitor price matching. They will match current prices from designated competitors like Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Costco.

The conditions are that it must be the same brand, model number, and color of a new product. Marketplace seller items, open box, or refurbished products are excluded.

There's a catch here. Flash deals lasting a day or a few hours are not eligible for matching. If you bring in a Prime Day flash deal price, you might get turned down, so be prepared for that.

Best Buy's return period is 15 days for regular customers. For My Best Buy Plus or Total members, it extends to 60 days.

So, for electronics, this is what I would do. I would buy from Best Buy first, and if the competitor's price drops within the return period, I would request a match.

For devices like phones or tablets that require activation, the return period is shorter at 14 days. Make sure to note this separately.

Let's also touch on membership prices. Circle 360 is $99 per year, while Walmart Plus is $98 per year. The numbers are so close that it made me chuckle a bit.

Both offer half-price benefits for students or those on government assistance programs. Instead of hastily signing up for a sale, it's better to consider how often you use delivery services.

I also removed quite a few items from my cart this time. When I see discounts of 65% or 50%, my fingers tend to move before I think.

So, my principle is simple. I first write down a list of items I originally intended to buy and only compare prices among those three stores.

Just like the first bite of a sweet dessert is the best, I feel happiest when I only grab what I truly need during sales. I find more joy on days when my bank account isn't lighter than when boxes are piling up.

To summarize, Walmart still has opportunities until the 11th. For items bought at Target, check the Target price again within 14 days.

For electronics purchased at Best Buy, keep an eye on competitor prices within the return period. This is how to make the most of this sales week.

And in a month, Black Friday will be here again. Best Buy will exclude competitor price matching from the Thursday before Thanksgiving to the following Monday, so you'll need to strategize differently then.

I plan to open the Walmart app one more time this weekend and wrap up my sale mode. Wishing everyone a sweet weekend where you only pick up what you need!