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Forget Black Friday. This Amazon tip gets you sales and hidden discounts any time

One of our go-to Amazon shopping hacks can help you save you up to 70% or more no matter when you shop.

Black Friday sales are coming in hot, from luxury bedding to Apple AirPods Pro, laptops and so much more. While great Black Friday sales on items of every price keep coming down the chute — and holiday shipping deadlines approaching fast — we just wanted to make sure you know about our favorite hidden Amazon shopping trick that has routinely gotten us up to 70% off almost any kind of product.

You just need to be an Amazon Prime member and know where to look. We’ll tell you everything you need to know, including the fine print. But the big thing is that these products are listed as Amazon Warehouse deals, major discounts on returned, damaged, lightly used or refurbished items. And yes, free two-day shipping (one of the Amazon Prime membership perks) applies in case you need a rush holiday gift. (P.S. Here’s what to know about detangling Amazon’s sometimes confusing return options.)

Read more: Don’t shop early Black Friday deals without using these Amazon Prime benefits

Look for the Amazon Warehouse Deals page

We often begin Amazon searches on the Amazon Warehouse Deals landing page, because it cuts out full-price listings almost entirely so you mostly just see the discounted items (we’ll get to one exception shortly). To get there, open Amazon using either a desktop browser or the Amazon mobile app and search for «Amazon warehouse» or «warehouse deals.»

Rather than getting a list of search results like normal, you should see a screen that looks a lot like the main Amazon search page, with a search bar, categories and so on. From there you can browse categories like Computers & Tablets, Kitchen or Home Improvement (click these and other links in this story to see actual, current Warehouse Deals listings) or you can search for more specific items just like you would on the regular Amazon homepage, except the results will be discounted, sometimes heavily.

This quick and easy approach works best if you’re not in the market for something in particular — say you’re just looking for gift ideas or killing time during your lunch break. It can be a lot of fun to scroll through the various categories looking for stuff that pops out at you. If you’re shopping for something more specific, however, keep reading for pro tips on how to find it discounted using Amazon Warehouse Deals.

Why Amazon Warehouse stuff is so cheap

Just like other major retailers such as Walmart or Target, Amazon takes in a lot of customer returns, which it can no longer sell as new-in-box, regardless of why the buyer sent the item back or whether it’s even been opened. That’s why everything Amazon Warehouse sells is listed as used, even if the product itself has never been touched. Regardless of its condition, used stuff is just worth less — sometimes a lot less. And that’s good for you.

Amazon Warehouse Deals work for almost anything

Everything we’ve shown you so far works great so long as you’re a little flexible about what you’re looking for. If, on the other hand, you’re shopping for something really specific — like, say, an Otterbox case for your iPhone 13 — it can be frustrating to limit your search to just Warehouse Deals listings. You might turn up nothing at all relevant.

Whenever you head to Amazon to buy an exact product, go ahead and search for it just like you would otherwise. There’s a way to check and see if a discounted Warehouse Deals version is available from any Amazon listing.

First, pull up the item you want to buy just as you normally would on Amazon, but don’t add it to your cart just yet. Scroll down the page and keep your eyes peeled for words like «New & Used,» «Buy Used,» «New & Used Offers» or just plain «Used,» which you should see on the right side of the website.

Usually there’ll be a price listed, too, representing the cheapest option available (but not including tax or shipping costs). If you’re not having any luck finding the link and you’re on a computer, try using your browser’s «find» function (usually Control-F on Windows PCs and Command-F on Macs) to look for these keywords.

Once you locate the link, look for items with «Amazon Warehouse» listed as the seller and an Amazon Prime logo displayed near the price. If Amazon Warehouse has more than one of the same item in stock, there will sometimes be a separate listing for each, especially if the items are in different conditions.

Be careful of Amazon’s redirecting trick

Another thing to keep an eye on — make sure you always go back to the Amazon Warehouse Deals splash page before starting a different search. Otherwise, if you just search for another item from the search bar at the top of the page, Amazon might bounce you out of Warehouse Deals and into the full site.

Same goes for «recent searches.» If you searched for, say, «bunny slippers» across all of Amazon, then went to Warehouse Deals and searched for «banana slippers,» then decided you definitely want bunnies over bananas, don’t select «bunny slippers» from the drop-down menu that appears when you select the search bar. Those recent searches will search not just the same terms but the same Amazon sections as the original search. In other words, it’ll yank you out of Warehouse Deals and back to the land of full-price slippers. Instead, type the search in again on the Amazon Warehouse Deals main page.

You’ll find the best deals if you’re not loyal to one brand

Say you’ve been thinking about getting a new cordless drill for a while. You don’t care who makes it, you just don’t want to spend a lot of money. Or a new dog leash, robot vacuum, whatever. You’re not brand-loyal, just cost-conscious. That’s the perfect time to search from inside Amazon Warehouse Deals.

Do it just like you would on the full Amazon site — type your search terms in the dialog box, then select «Search.» Searching from the Warehouse Deals main page, your results won’t be cluttered with a bunch of full-price listings.

Except for one caveat: Amazon’s «sponsored» listings. Unless you have an ad blocker that specifically removes Amazon’s paid listing results (you cna use the Amazon Ad Blocker Chrome extension), you’ll still see full-priced items peppered among the discounts. These non-discounted listings look almost identical to Warehouse Deals, except they’re labeled «Sponsored.» Sneaky, but that’s why I’m warning you.

How Amazon Warehouse returns work

Of the dozens (if not hundreds) of Amazon Warehouse listings we’ve bought over the years, we only ever ran into problems with a handful of them — a Bluetooth adapter for a car that would randomly shut off, a wireless router that didn’t broadcast any signal, a very well-worn puppy harness with dog hair stuck to it; stuff like that.

Whenever that happens, just return the item like you would any defective product, then order another one. Sure, it’s a bit more hassle, but considering the hundreds, if not thousands of dollars we’ve saved over the years this way, it’s worth the extra effort.

Truth is, most Amazon Warehouse items are in perfect working order — many haven’t even been so much as pulled out of their packages. Even for stuff that has been taken out of the box, Amazon puts everything through what the company calls a «rigorous 20-point inspection process,» after which each item is given a quality grade and priced accordingly.

Some items may have cosmetic damage or be missing parts, accessories, instructions or assembly tools, but Amazon will detail any damage to the product or packaging, as well as any missing element along with the condition, so you won’t be surprised.

What the different Amazon grades mean

Amazon has five different grades it assigns to items it resells. Here they are with brief explanations of what Amazon means.

Renewed: This is the highest grade an Amazon Warehouse item can receive and is on par with what other companies might call «refurbished.» Renewed items have been closely inspected and tested and determined to look and function like new and come with a 90-day replacement or refund guarantee. The «refreshed» Roku Express Plus we once ordered had never even been opened.

Used, Like New: No noticeable blemishes or marks on the item itself, although the packaging may be damaged, incomplete or missing altogether. All accessories are included, and any damage to the package will be described in the listing. The box for the Like New Evenflo locking gate we bought saved $6 on was a little banged up, but we’ve seen way worse on Walmart’s shelves. The gate itself was flawless.

Used, Very Good: The item has been lightly used, with minor visible indications of wear and tear, but is otherwise in good working order. Packaging might be damaged, incomplete or the item repackaged. Any missing accessories will be mentioned in the listing.

Used, Good: Item shows moderate signs of use, packaging may be damaged or the item repackaged and it could be missing accessories, instructions or assembly tools. Another Bosch Icon wiper blade we got was only in Good shape, but we saved $15 on that one, and honestly can’t tell one from the other now that they’re on the car.

Used, Acceptable: Very well-worn, but still fully functional. Major cosmetic defects, packaging issues and/or missing parts, accessories, instructions or tools. I got an Echo Dot for $23 that was considered Acceptable. It has a scratch near the power port, but on a nightstand it’s hard to tell and cost half price.

How to choose the right quality grade

If there are multiple listings with different grades available, think about what it will be used for. If it’s something purely functional and we couldn’t care less about its cosmetic condition, like hair clippers or a cordless drill, we’d go with the cheapest option.

If it’s something for display, like a kitchen mixer, end table or wall clock, read the descriptions a little more closely and look for items that are rated Very Good or Like New.

But honestly, a low enough price on just about anything could woo you into putting up with some scratches or scuffs. In our experience, Amazon tends to err on the side of caution, marking items as Good or Acceptable that the average person would consider Very Good or Like New.

Beware, you may not have a warranty with your Warehouse Deal

One of the benefits of purchases made through Amazon Warehouse is that Amazon’s standard 30-day replacement or refund return policy applies, which comes in handy if you wind up with a lemon. Amazon does caution that because these products are considered used they don’t come with the manufacturer’s original warranty.

That said, if the product hasn’t already been registered in someone else’s name, there’s a decent chance any issues you run into past Amazon’s 30-day window can be resolved with a call to the manufacturer.

Amazon Prime members still get free shipping

Subscribing to Amazon Prime won’t get you a bigger discount on Amazon Warehouse Deals, but you’ll get free shipping just as you would for any other Prime-eligible item, which is why we pay for Prime even though many of our purchases come from Amazon Warehouse.

Most of the stuff we bought through Amazon Warehouse ships and arrives within the same one- to two-day window we get with new items, although some orders do take longer to fulfill. If that’s the case, the extra handling time is usually indicated on the listing, so you’ll know what to expect.

Quick tips about buying from third-party sellers

While wading around in the listings looking for Amazon Warehouse Deals you may have discovered even more discounted listings not sold by Amazon. What you’ve stumbled upon are items sold by third-party retailers whose only relationship with Amazon is that their items are for sale on Amazon’s marketplace, much like eBay.

Amazon’s buyer protections lag considerably behind eBay’s, however. eBay guarantees customers their money back in the event of a dispute, and although Amazon will ultimately do the same, its process is a bit more convoluted, so proceed with caution. Generally, if you can’t find a good enough deal on Amazon Warehouse, tab over to eBay and look for the item there instead. eBay is a little more transparent about both its vendors and the merchandise they sell. If you’re going to buy garage-sale used as opposed to Amazon’s never-opened used, eBay may well be the better way to go.

The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.

Technologies

Here’s an Image of the Asteroid Everyone Was Worried About

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope captured a glimpse of the asteroid that had a chance of impacting Earth three months ago.

It’s not every day that an asteroid causes as much buzz as 2024 YR4. At one point, the asteroid had a 3.1% chance of hitting Earth, creating plenty of headlines about its potential impact. The threat is all but gone, but now we have pictures of the once-worrisome asteroid. 

The imagery was captured by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and posted by the European Space Agency on Wednesday. The JWST captured the asteroid with two of its cameras, including the Near-Infrared Camera and the Mid-Infrared Instrument. The former measures reflected light, while the latter shows thermal energy. 

The pictures demonstrate a couple of fun facts about the asteroid. It is the smallest object ever targeted by JWST’s instruments to date, and it’s one of the smallest objects ever directly measured. Estimates initially put the asteroid at around 40 to 90 meters. The actual size turned out to be 60 meters or around 180 feet.

«These measurements indicate that this asteroid does not share properties observed in larger asteroids,» the ESA said in its blog post. «This is likely a combination of its fast spin and lack of fine-grained sand on its surface. Further research is needed, however, this is considered consistent with a surface dominated by rocks that are roughly fist-sized or larger.»

Per NASA, the asteroid will only be visible from Earth for a little longer. The asteroid’s orbit is currently taking it away from Earth, and the agency estimates that it’ll disappear from even the strongest instruments by late April or early May. It won’t be visible again until 2028 when its orbit brings it back toward Earth.

The moon, on the other hand…

The 2024 YR4 asteroid caused quite a stir when astronomers first reported it via the Minor Planet Center in December 2024. Based on the data collected on its trajectory at that point, the asteroid had a 1.3% chance of hitting Earth. 

The percentage fluctuated over the next few months, reaching as high as 3.1%. After further research, the odds dropped dramatically to 0.28%. Per NASA’s Sentry tool — which monitors asteroids that may impact Earth — the threat now sits at 0.00078%.

The moon may not be so lucky. Per NASA, the odds of the asteroid impacting the moon are somewhere around 3.8%, which is even higher odds than the asteroid ever had of impacting Earth. Scientists are gathering data before the asteroid disappears, but it’s likely we won’t know more until the asteroid comes back into view in 2028.

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We Played Nintendo Switch 2: Mario, Donkey Kong, Mouse, Camera and a Lot More

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Technologies

Nintendo Switch 2: Every Reveal About the Console, New Games, Price, Release Date

The $450 console launches June 5, with Mario Kart World the highlight of its launch day game lineup.

The Nintendo Switch 2 console’s biggest reveal yet arrived Wednesday as part of the company’s latest Nintendo Direct event. This teed up a day of Switch 2 reveals that include its June 5 release date, a $450 price, its specs and its initial game lineup that extends from launch into 2026

The console will be further buoyed by having Mario Kart World as a launch title, which will go on sale in either a $500 bundle with the Switch 2 or on its own for $80 — making the open-world racing game one of Nintendo’s most expensive yet. Other games announced, such as Donkey Kong Bananza, are being priced around $70, which matches the cost of 2023’s The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. That Zelda game and Breath of the Wild are among the original Switch titles that will get enhanced Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrades, a premium upgrade allowing players to get new features, modes and graphical enhancements that take advantage of the newer system’s capabilities. 

Here are the top highlights from Nintendo’s console event, all of the games we’ve heard about so far (including new titles, Nintendo Switch 2 Editions and GameCube games coming to Nintendo Switch Online) and all of our coverage so far. You can also check out our Nintendo Switch 2 live blog for even more updates about the Switch 2 as we learn them. 

Nintendo Switch 2 console

The Nintendo Switch 2’s specs saw a noticeable technical bump over the Switch. The Nintendo Switch 2 has a 7.9-inch, 1080p resolution LCD that supports a 120Hz refresh rate — matching what we now see on most Android phones. When the Switch 2 is docked, compatible games can run in 4K resolution. The new dock also includes a cooling fan. 

The Switch 2 comes with 256GB of internal storage, and the new Switch 2 Game Cards will load games faster. For digital libraries, however, the Switch 2 will only work with microSD Express cards, which are different from the microSD cards that are compatible with the prior Nintendo Switch. Nintendo will have a Software Transfer feature available to help move games and data from the original Switch to the Switch 2.

The new Joy-Con for the controllers will support mouse controls, and a new C button will be part of a new GameChat communication feature that allows both voice and video chat. There’s also a Nintendo Switch 2 Camera, allowing players to see each other.

The Switch 2 also adds a second USB-C port to the top of the system, which Nintendo says can help connect its new camera accessory or charge the console when playing in tabletop mode. Nintendo also revealed a new Switch 2 Pro Controller with the C button and customizable GL and GR buttons on the back.

Following the presentation, Nintendo unveiled the system’s price of $450 in the US. It will also sell the Switch 2 bundled with a digital version of Mario Kart World for $500.

Mario Kart World

Mario Kart World removes its traditional boundaries and lets drivers roam freely across an entire world of race courses. The game will get its own Nintendo Direct later this month, where we’ll see additional details, but we already know it’ll include traditional races and a Free Roam mode, much like in the Forza Horizon series. 

Getting the game bundled for an extra $50 on the cost of the Switch 2 might be the move if you are interested in the game, because Nintendo announced on its website that standalone copies of Mario Kart World will cost $80

Joy-Con 2 C button and GameChat

Nintendo’s rolling out its new C button across several new Switch 2 controllers. The button will be used for the new GameChat communication features without a headset. The button will be used alongside a microphone on the console itself, which Nintendo says can be used whether it’s docked to a TV or in handheld mode. 

In its teaser video, Nintendo promises the microphone will be able to cancel out loud background noises. GameChat will also work with a Nintendo Switch 2 Camera, allowing video chat and various camera-based game modes in supported titles. GameChat will be free at launch through March 31, 2026.

Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games upgrade titles

The Nintendo Switch 2 will play three types of games: original Switch games, Switch 2 games and Switch 2 Edition games that will receive substantial enhancements. For many of these Switch 2 Edition games, you’ll need to buy an upgrade pack if you own the original for Switch. Many of them will get more than just enhanced graphics in the upgrade; for example, Super Mario Party Jamboree will get new games that support the new Joy-Cons’ mouse controls, audio recognition and video camera gameplay options through the Switch 2 Camera. 

Other Nintendo Switch games that are getting Switch 2 Edition options include The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Metroid Prime 4 Beyond and Pokemon Legends: Z-A. Enhancements vary: The Zelda games will start working with a companion phone app for maps and sending schematics to friends, while Kirby will get a new story that’s exclusive to the Switch 2 Edition. On the third-party side, Civilization 7 will get mouse controls.

Nintendo did not announce what upgrade packs will cost. However, some Switch games will get free updates that will improve performance or enhance features when playing them on the Switch 2. The Switch games getting these updates include:

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is a new game set in the world of Zelda that tells the story that leads into The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. This appears to be similar to how Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity told the story of a war that led to the events of Breath of the Wild. The teaser shows Zelda discovering that she’s arrived in the past of Hyrule, and the game will expand on how she gets involved in the corresponding Imprisonment War.

Nintendo Switch 2 games

Several other first- and third-party games were spotlighted during the Switch 2 Direct. These include Donkey Bananza, one of the first 3D platforming games featuring DK since 1999’s Donkey Kong 64. Kirby will also return to the racing genre in Kirby Air Riders, which comes more than 20 years after the GameCube racer Kirby’s Air Ride. DragXDrive will use mouse controls to control a futuristic wheelchair basketball game in which players will simulate push and pull motions to control their character.

An onslaught of Switch 2 third-party games were quickly shuffled through during the Direct, which I list below. An unnamed James Bond game is in development at Hitman studio IO Interactive, as is a darker title from Elden Ring creator FromSoftware called The Duskbloods, which will be exclusive to the Switch 2. 

The full list of announced Nintendo Switch 2 games includes:

  • Borderlands 4
  • Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster
  • Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition
  • Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion
  • Deltarune
  • Donkey Kong Bananza
  • Drag x Drive
  • EA Sports FC
  • EA Sports Madden NFL
  • Elden Ring Tarnished Edition
  • Enter the Gungeon 2
  • Fast Fusion
  • Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade
  • Fortnite
  • Hades 2
  • Hitman World of Assassination — Signature Edition
  • Hogwarts Legacy
  • Hollow Knight: Silksong
  • Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
  • Kirby Air Riders
  • Kirby and the Forgotten Land — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition and Star-Crossed World
  • Kunitsu-Gai: Path of the Goddess
  • Mario Kart World
  • Metroid Prime 4: Beyond — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
  • NBA 2K
  • Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
  • Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition
  • Pokemon Legends: Z-A — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
  • Project 007
  • Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S
  • Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
  • Sid Meier’s Civilization 7 — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
  • Split Fiction
  • Star Wars Outlaws
  • Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions
  • Street Fighter 6
  • Super Mario Party Jamboree — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition and Jamboree TV
  • Survival Kids
  • The Duskbloods
  • The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
  • The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
  • Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 and 4
  • WWE 2K
  • Yakuza 0 Definitive Edition

Among these titles, you can see the full list of June 5 Switch 2 launch day games here.

Nintendo GameCube library coming to Switch 2

The Nintendo Switch Online game library will add GameCube games to the Switch 2. On launch day, these games will initially include The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, SoulCalibur 2 and F-Zero GX, with each game getting enhanced graphics. Online multiplayer will also be added to certain titles. Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario Strikers and Luigi’s Mansion are among the games set to arrive later. At launch, Nintendo will also sell a GameCube controller, which will be wireless and include a C button for GameChat.

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