A Washington Post columnist found that Amazon's Prime Day deals don't always offer genuine savings. The columnist tracked prices and found many items were more expensive during the sale. Some "discounted" items were priced the same as they had been in previous weeks. Amazon sometimes uses inflated "before" prices to exaggerate discounts, as consumer advocates have warned. The columnist observed a TV stand increasing in price significantly during the Prime Big Deal Days. A pack of coronavirus tests listed as discounted was the same price as a previous purchase. Amazon claims Prime Day prices offer savings compared to the typical price over 90 days. The reporter recommends using price tracking websites like CamelCamelCamel to identify real discounts. Savings from purchasing the same products on Big Deal Days would have only been 0.6%. The columnist points out that this calculation doesn't even account for the $139 annual Amazon Prime fee.