Are Discount Codes Always the Best Deal?

[SpinState]

A discount code feels good, but it is not always the cheapest route. Sometimes a retailer raises prices before a sale, excludes the items people actually want, or offers a code that is worse than cashback, price matching, used options, refurbished products, or waiting for a better seasonal sale. The best habit is to compare the final price, not the size of the discount, because twenty percent off a bad price is still a bad price

[Finley]

Final price is what matters. A big discount badge can hide a very ordinary deal

[HollowSentinel]

Refurbished and open box items are often better value than a small code on full price

[Kev94]

Cashback can beat a discount code if the code disables the cashback tracking

[GhostRider]

I always check price history now. Some sales are not really sales at all