9 Great Ways to Save at Best Buy

We live in an era when technology rules. Simply put, we love our gadgets.

Smartphones, tablets, computers, high-definition TVs — we want it all. And, increasingly, we demand it at the lowest possible price.

Shoppers looking for the latest tech toys often end up at Best Buy. The savviest of these shoppers also know tricks that help them save a few dollars more on each purchase.

Following are nine great ways you can cut costs the next time you shop at Best Buy.

1. Become a rewards program member

When you join the My Best Buy program, you’ll receive rewards — in the form of cash certificates — on purchases, access to special sales, exclusive member offers, and free shipping on orders of $35 or more.

And the more you shop, the bigger the benefits.

Rise to the rank of ElitePlus member — which requires that you spend $3,500 in a calendar year — and you’ll “enjoy a 25 percent point bonus on top of the rewards you already get, every time you shop Best Buy or BestBuy.com,” according to the company.

You can even earn points for submitting customer reviews. Create your account now.

2. Take advantage of the price match

If you know exactly what you plan to buy, do a little online comparison shopping first. Best Buy will price-match offers from competitors such as Amazon.com and TigerDirect.com. So be sure to have a printout of your proof of savings on hand — or have your cellphone at the ready — when you head to the store to shop.

You can find more about Best Buy’s price-match policy at the company website.

3. Shop the Best Buy Outlet

If you don’t care whether your item is the newest of its kind on the market, the Best Buy Outlet is a great money-saving option. According to Best Buy:

The Best Buy Outlet provides everyday savings on high-quality, brand-name consumer electronics, appliances, computers and accessories. Best Buy also stands behind its products with the Return & Exchange Promise and warranty coverage, plus purchases are eligible for My Best Buy® points.

See the Best Buy Outlet Guide to learn more about the retailer’s outlet products.

4. Don’t overlook the open box

Best Buy offers discounts — sometimes deep — on its Open Box items. These are products that were returned, used as floor models or opened for inspection due to packaging damage.

Even though all Open Box products are sold for less than their “brand-new” counterparts, the items are thoroughly tested and still carry the manufacturer’s warranty,

5. Get coupon codes

Websites such as DealNews and RetailMeNot often offer Best Buy promotional codes that can save you a bunch of money on certain online and in-store purchases.

For example, we recently saw a 60 percent off code at DealNews, and many codes for 20 percent or more at RetailMeNot.

6. Buy discounted gift cards and use cash-back sites

Websites such as CardPool.com and Raise.com let recipients sell unwanted gift cards at a discount. For example, we recently saw Best Buy gift cards discounted 5.5 percent at CardPool.

In addition, you can cut costs by shopping through cash-back websites such as Ebates, which currently offers 2 percent off all Best Buy purchases.

7. Shop the super sales

To get great deals on items such as smartphones, tablets and laptops, shop Best Buy on big sale days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. You may have to brave the crowds in the store, but the potential savings can be well worth it.

8. Use free in-store pickup

Why pay shipping fees when you don’t have to? Best Buy offers free in-store pickup. Order online and have your purchases sent to the nearest store for free.

Some stores even have parking spots right up front that are for the exclusive use of customers picking up items.

9. Hang onto your receipts

If an item you purchased goes on sale within the return period, Best Buy may refund the difference in price. After buying items, be sure to save all of your receipts — you may need them to enjoy a little cash back.

According to Best Buy:

If we lower our price during the return and exchange period, we will match our lower price, upon request.

Do you know of other great tips for saving at Best Buy? Share them in our Forums. It’s a place where you can swap questions and answers on money-related matters, life hacks and ingenious ways to save.

This story contains affiliate links, which means Money Talks News may get a commission if you decide to purchase anything from some of the companies in this story. However, we only recommend products we love. Using affiliate links helps us keep the lights on, and allows us to continue to offer you great money-saving tips every day.