Need a new compound miter saw? Run to Home Depot and pick one up, right? Maybe not. You may be able to save over $100 on a your miter saw purchase with a little shopping around.
DEWALT 10-in 15-Amp Single Bevel
Compound Miter Saw (Corded) DWS716XPS
For example (all prices here are as of 1/1/23), the very capable Dewalt 10-in 15-Amp single bevel compound miter saw (corded), model DWS716 is available at Home Depot for $429. If it's in stock in the store, you can pick it up without any shipping charges. Just add tax. But Home Depot is selling this saw for $429 so you stop at Lowes and find the same saw for $399 in stock in the store. Better deal, right? But before you buy the saw at Lowes, might as well check out Amazon. You find the saw at Amazon for $399. As an Amazon Prime member, shipping is free. So the price matches Lowes (ignoring tax you have to pay on both). So get the saw now at Lowes, right? Not if you want the best deal. Read on to find out how.
DEWALT 10-in 15-Amp Single Bevel Compound Miter Saw (Corded) DWS716XPS
Source |
Listed Price |
Shipping |
Total Price
(before tax) |
| Home Depot |
$429 |
$0 (Store Pickup) |
$429 |
| Lowes |
$399 |
$0 (Store Pickup) |
$399 |
| Amazon |
$399 |
Free |
$399 |
| eBay |
$325 |
Free |
$325 |
Savings of $104 over Home Depot Price
Savings of $74 over Lowes Price
Savings of $74 over Amazon Price
Did you consider eBay? If not it's worth a look. In this example for the Dewalt miter saw, you can find a brand new, in an unopened box saw for $325 with free shipping. That's $104 less than Home Depot and $74 less that Lowes or Amazon. You'll have to wait for shipping time, but it's a deal worth considering.
You might think of eBay as the place to by used items and collectables but there are many reputable sellers offering new and in-the-box items for a great price. Shopping on eBay does require a little work to find the best item. Here's some tips.
New Items
Since we're comparing prices for a saw that's purchased from a store, we need to make sure we are shopping for new items on eBay. To make things easier, you can narrow down your search in eBay by selecting the "New" option category. This will limit the search results to new items only.
Now that you've limited the search to new items only, there's a few other things you should check.
Not An Auction Price
You may be familiar with eBay's auctions. An item is listed and potential buyers bid on the item until the auction ends and the winning bidder gets the item. Since we're comparing pricing to a saw that can be purchased in the store, we don't want consider an auction here although this might be a good option later.
For a fair comparison, narrow the listings to the "Buy It Now" buying format. This way, you can purchase the item immediately without waiting for an auction to complete.
Check For Reputable Seller
The eBay website initially became successful because of one major feature - seller ratings. Any reputable eBay seller will usually go out of their way to keep a high seller rating. Good for you, good for them. So when you find an item you're interested in, make sure to check the seller's rating. Also, it's a good idea to see how many ratings the seller has. If they've maintained a high seller rating with hundreds or even thousands of sales, you are most likely going to have a good experience with that seller.
On the eBay item listing, find the seller information and look for the rating and number of ratings. The eBay website uses a colored star that indicates the number of ratings. In this example above, the seller has 98.4% positive feedback ratings with a total of 2240 ratings. The red star is the number of seller ratings category which ranges from 1,000 to 4,999 ratings. This example is an example of a good seller. If you find a seller with a lower rating for fewer ratings, this may be a red flag but not necessarily. For example, a new seller may have a yellow star (10 to 49 ratings) with only a few ratings because they're just starting out as a seller. If you're still interested in their item, you can read their reviews and/or contact the seller directly from the eBay website with any questions you might have.
Shipping Charges
Of course, the item's final cost to you is what matters. Be sure to check the shipping charges for the item listed. Some sellers offer free shipping and other charge amounts that can add up to more than you want to spend. Also, make sure the shipping arrangements are acceptable to you. When will you get your saw?
Shop Around
Okay, you've now found your item on eBay and you narrowed the listings to new items only, "Buy It Now" only items, and sellers with a high number of excellent ratings - but you'll find you still need to shop around on eBay. In many cases, there can be a significant price difference of an item from seller to seller. So do some more digging, and find the best deal!
Protection
Never bought anything on eBay and you're a little worried how the purchase may work out? Well eBay offers a money back guarantee. So shop with confidence.
eBay Money Back Guarantee: Get the item you ordered or your money back—it’s that simple.
Last Words
Will eBay always have the best deal - probably not. Is it worth checking eBay before making your next purchase? Absolutely! It might take a little work to sort through listings, but many times a deal can be found. Good luck shopping!
Home Fix DIY is an eBay affiliate partner. When you click links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
