Skip to main content
ErrorEmpire LogoErrorEmpire
BlogReviewsGuidesDeals
Region

The Deal Hunter's Glossary

Deal hunting has its own language. If you are new to tracking pricing errors, stacking coupons, or figuring out if an Amazon discount is real, this glossary will get you up to speed so you can start saving faster in United States.

Pricing Error (Price Glitch)
A mistake made by a retailer where an item is listed significantly below its intended price. These often result from misplaced decimal points or incorrect coupon stacking logic. They are short-lived and may be canceled before shipping.
Lightning Deal
A time-bound promotional offer on Amazon where a limited number of discounts are offered on an item for a short period. Once the timer runs out or the items are claimed, the deal is over.
Coupon Stacking
The practice of combining multiple discount codes or promotions at checkout. For example, using a site-wide 20% off code on an item that is already on clearance. This is a common way to achieve extreme discounts.
Keepa & CamelCamelCamel
Essential browser extensions for Amazon shoppers. They track the historical price of products, allowing you to see if a current "discount" is genuinely a good deal or just a fake markdown from an artificially inflated price.
ASIN
Amazon Standard Identification Number. A 10-character alphanumeric unique identifier assigned by Amazon and its partners for product identification within the Amazon organization.
Fake Discount / MSRP Inflation
When a retailer inflates the "List Price" or "MSRP" just to cross it out and make the current price look like a massive discount. Always check price history tools to spot these.
YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary)
A common phrase in deal hunting indicating that a specific deal might not be available to everyone. It could be regional, account-specific (like targeted coupons), or dependent on an in-store manager's discretion.
Cashback Portal
Websites or extensions (like Rakuten or TopCashback) that earn an affiliate commission when you click through their links to shop, and then share a percentage of that commission back with you.

Ready to put these terms to use?

Now that you know the lingo, join our community to get real-time alerts when we spot these pricing errors and massive discounts.

The Deal Hunter's Glossary in United States | ErrorEmpire