I’m a big fan of physical media. I’m happy to get into detail describing all the reasons DVDs, Blu-rays, and 4K discs offer the ideal way to watch movies or shows. However, I’m also aware of some of the practical difficulties that building a physical media collection can involve.

For example, discs aren’t exactly cheap all the time. You might thus make a point of waiting until a retailer offers a sale to stock up on physical media.

Just keep in mind that not all sales represent genuinely good offers. To properly evaluate just how good a deal is, keep the following tips in mind.

Check other retailers’ prices

A discount isn’t impressive if the original price was too high

Let’s address an obvious point first: Different retailers may offer different prices for the same products. That means a discount isn’t necessarily a bargain. If a retailer is selling a disc for 25% off what they usually sell it for, but they usually sell it for more than most retailers do, that discount might not amount to significant savings.

Unless you’re already familiar with a given retailer’s pricing, when you spot a sale or discount, compare the price to what others are charging. You might find that the “sale” price is more or less the same as the usual price at another establishment.

You can also research the general price history of a given piece of physical media you’re thinking about buying. This may take some more time, but if you’re a fan of a good bargain, you might consider that to be time well-spent.

Consider what you’re getting

A good deal on a bundle is only a good deal if you enjoy most of the content

Deals and discounts on DVDs, Blu-rays, and 4K discs can take a variety of forms. Sometimes, a deal may consist of several titles bundled together. The price of this bundle may technically be much less than you would spend if you were to purchase each title separately. In that respect, a bundle might seem like a great deal.

This is an instance in which it pays (no pun intended) to take a moment and think a little more closely about a bargain before deciding to spend your money. Take the time to consider whether you actually care to own all the titles in a given bundle, set, or collection. The fact that you’d spend more money if you bought them all individually only translates to savings if buying the titles individually is something you otherwise would have done.

Focus on the titles in a given bundle that genuinely appeal to you. Find out how much it would cost just to buy those. If it’s less than what you would spend on the entire bundle, that deal you spotted might actually be a waste of your money.

On a similar note, fans of physical media know that movies and shows are often released in various editions with various supplemental features. Consider the edition you’d be getting when a title is on sale. Even if you might want the movie or show being offered, you may not want that specific version.

Find out if brick-and-mortar retailers match an online deal

Let’s explore a specific, real-world example of how taking the time to genuinely consider the nuances of a deal or sale can actually help you save money in the real world. As a physical media devotee, I’m a big fan of the Criterion Collection. When the Criterion Collection offers its flash sale, in which every title in the online store is 50% off, you can be certain I’m eager to take advantage of it.

However, I sometimes need to stop myself before placing a big order. Why? Because I know that Barnes & Noble also tends to offer Criterion discs at 50% off throughout the entire month of November most years. Similarly, my local independent video shop strives to do its best to match Criterion’s sales when they happen.

See, if I were to purchase all the discs I wanted during Criterion’s flash sale, although the discount might technically apply, it wouldn’t waive any of the shipping or processing fees.

Shipping fees aren’t a concern when I’m buying discs directly from a brick-and-mortar retailer. That means, even though the 50% discount may be the same, I’m ultimately saving more money if I buy from Barnes & Noble or my local indie video store.

Again, that’s just one specific example of how it’s often smart to see if any brick-and-mortar retailers will offer essentially the same discount as an online retailer. Even when an online retailer is actually offering a pretty good deal, shipping fees and related fees can prevent said deal from being as impressive as it might otherwise be.

The main point to remember is that a sale and a good deal aren’t always the same thing. Keeping an eye out for discounts absolutely can be an effective way to affordably build a physical media collection, but you do need to ensure you’re actually getting the deal you think you’re getting. The advice here will help.