Amazon.ca vs Best Buy Canada: Who Has Better Prices?

Two very different pricing strategies

Amazon.ca and Best Buy Canada both sell many of the same products. Baby monitors, electronics, smart home devices, and baby tech are available at both retailers. But the two take very different approaches to pricing.

Amazon.ca uses dynamic pricing. Prices change frequently, sometimes multiple times in a single week. This creates both opportunities and risks. You might catch a great price on Monday that is gone by Wednesday. Or you might buy on a Tuesday and see a lower price appear on Thursday.

Best Buy Canada uses more stable pricing. Prices tend to hold steady for weeks, changing during promotional events, flyer cycles, or clearance periods. The tradeoff is fewer surprise deals but more predictable costs.

Which retailer is cheaper overall?

Neither, consistently. The cheaper option depends on the specific product and the specific day.

On any given day, roughly the same number of products are cheaper at Amazon.ca as at Best Buy Canada. The retailer with the lower price on a specific product can flip within a week.

This is why comparing across retailers before every purchase matters. Assuming one retailer is always cheaper is a reliable way to overpay.

Category differences

While neither retailer wins overall, there are categories where each tends to be more competitive.

Baby monitors. Best Buy Canada often has the edge here. Their monitor selection is deeper and their regular pricing is frequently competitive with Amazon's sale pricing. During Black Friday, Best Buy's baby monitor deals are particularly strong.

Electronics. Varies by product. Amazon tends to be cheaper on smaller accessories and budget electronics. Best Buy tends to be more competitive on premium products and brands that have strong relationships with Best Buy's retail channel.

Smart home products. Similar pricing most of the time. Amazon occasionally drops prices on their own brand products (Ring, Echo) below what Best Buy charges, but Best Buy typically matches within days.

Baby gear. Amazon.ca has a wider baby gear selection. Best Buy carries baby monitors and some baby tech but does not stock strollers, car seats, or cribs. For baby monitor purchases, both retailers are worth comparing.

The Best Buy price match advantage

Best Buy Canada has a price match policy. If a product is available for less at Amazon.ca (sold and shipped by Amazon, not a third party seller), Best Buy will match the price.

This creates an interesting dynamic. If you prefer shopping at Best Buy for any reason, whether it is the return policy, local pickup, or customer service, you can still get Amazon's price by requesting a match.

Price tracking data from Lowvyn makes this practical. When you check a product on Lowvyn and see that Amazon has a lower price, you have the information you need to request a price match at Best Buy.

Shipping and return considerations

Price is not the only factor. The total cost and convenience of a purchase includes shipping and returns.

Amazon.ca offers free shipping on orders over $35 for most products (free for Prime members regardless of order size). Returns are generally straightforward with prepaid return labels for most products.

Best Buy Canada offers free shipping on orders over $35. They also have the option of in store pickup, which is faster for urgent purchases and eliminates shipping concerns. Returns can be done in store, which some people prefer.

For products where the price is close between the two retailers, these factors might tip the decision.

How to compare Amazon.ca and Best Buy prices on Lowvyn

Lowvyn tracks prices from both retailers (along with Walmart.ca). When a product is available at multiple retailers, you can see all the prices in one place.

On the website. Browse products at lowvyn.com/products. Each product card shows the retailer and current price. Use the store filter to compare products available at both retailers.

With the extension. When you visit a product page on Amazon.ca or BestBuy.ca, the Lowvyn extension shows you the product's price history and Lowvyn Score. You can quickly see if the current price is good relative to the product's history.

Check the Lowvyn Score. The score accounts for cross retailer pricing. A high score means the product is well priced not just relative to its own history, but relative to what other retailers are charging.

The bottom line

Do not assume either retailer is always cheaper. Check both before buying. If the prices are close, let other factors like shipping, return policy, and pickup availability guide your decision. If one is meaningfully cheaper, buy there.

The two to three minutes it takes to compare prices can save $20 to $50 on a single purchase.

Compare prices on Lowvyn or get the free extension to see prices as you shop.