At-home DNA test kits have become a popular, more affordable way to explore genealogy over the past few years. You don’t have to visit an office and you can typically find great deals on at-home DNA test kits throughout the year.
“The big holidays (Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day and Black Friday) are usually the best time to find deals on DNA test kits,” says Charis Brown, managing editor of ClarkDeals.com.
In addition to Black Friday and major holidays, Amazon Prime Day in July is a great time to shop for DNA test kits at Amazon and other online retailers.
We’ve found over 20 deals in the past two years for at-home DNA test kits with prices as low as $45 during sales and promotions. In this article, we’re going to cover the best time of year to find a great deal on at-home DNA test kits as well as where to shop for the best price.
When to Buy an At-Home DNA Test
Since our genetics aren’t changing anytime soon, there’s no rush to purchase a DNA test kit the day you decide to start shopping. In fact, waiting for a good deal could save you up to 50% at the right time of year.
After looking at the deals posted over the past two years by ClarkDeals.com, here’s the pattern we’ve found:
We’ve seen the most deals in July around Independence Day and Amazon Prime Day. It’s not surprising that we’ve also seen a significant number of deals on DNA test kits in November surrounding Black Friday.
National DNA Day is celebrated on April 25, which is another great time to look for deals, discounts and promotions on home DNA test kits.
According to Camelcamelcamel — a tool that tracks the history of an item’s price on Amazon — you can find some DNA test kits as low as $22 if you know when to shop.
For example, the National Geographic DNA Test Kit: Geno 2.0 Next Generation is available at Amazon from Helix right now for $39.60, which is already a great price.
However, Camelcamelcamel reveals that this same kit was available for $22 on Amazon earlier this year around National DNA Day.
While you may find occasional markdowns posted throughout the year, you’ll most likely find the best deals during April, July and November.
Where to Buy an At-Home DNA Test
Clearly, the best time to buy anything is when you can get it for the best price. With home DNA test kits, prices tend to be pretty stable across the board until deals are posted by specific companies or retailers.
Here are the stores where we’ve found the most deals on at-home DNA test kits over the past two years:
Clearly, we’ve seen significantly more home DNA test kit deals from Amazon than any other online retailer. Amazon offers competitive prices on a huge selection of products including DNA test kits from MyHeritage, AncestryDNA, 23andMe, Orig3n, National Geographic and more. They’re also typically eligible for free shipping at Amazon since most at-home DNA test kits are over $25.
In addition to Amazon, we’ve also seen great deals directly from 23andMe, Ancestry and Helix as well as Best Buy and Target. If one deal is posted on a home DNA test kit, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to find additional markdowns online from competitors.
In order to ensure you’re getting the best price, it’s important to compare similar products at other stores using a tool like Google Shopping.
For example, this AncestryDNA: Genetic Ethnicity + Traits Test is currently available at Amazon for $119, but you can save $20 by purchasing it directly from Ancestry.
Once you’ve decided to buy a DNA test kit, be sure to take the time to compare the deals available online at major retailers as well as directly from the company’s website.
The Bottom Line
You’ll most likely be able to find a deal at Amazon for a home DNA test kit, especially during major holidays. Still, it’s important to price-compare so that you know you’re getting the best deal.
If you can wait to make your purchase, the best prices will start to show up for National DNA Day in April, again during Prime Day in July and around Black Friday in November.
Remember that there’s no rush on this purchase, so take the time to shop around and wait for big markdowns to get the best deals.
More Ways to Save:
- Know what kind of kit to buy. DNA test kits that offer health and wellness insights are going to be more significantly more expensive than a basic ancestry or genetic ethnicity test. Avoid overspending by knowing exactly what you’re hoping to get out of the purchase.
- Take advantage of bundles and promotions. If you’re shopping for a gift, you may be able to get an even better price per kit by finding a deal on purchasing two kits together. Then you can use one yourself!
- Wait for major markdowns, and don’t forget to price compare. There’s nothing worse than missing out on a better price because of an impulse purchase. Keep an eye out during major holidays for great deals, and always take the time to shop around.
Have you purchased an at-home DNA test kit? Tell us about your experience in the comments!
The post The Best Time and Place to Buy an At-Home DNA Test Kit appeared first on Clark Howard.
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