2017 was a transitional year for tech. The had just launched a few months prior and was notoriously difficult to find, while everyone was buzzing about the upcoming iPhone X . Leo, however, had his heart set on something more cinematic: a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player .
He navigated past the rows of oversized TVs and a massive display for Destiny 2 . He found the player—a sleek Sony model—and gripped it like a trophy. As he reached the checkout counter, the familiar blue-shirted employee scanned the device. "That'll be $249.99," the cashier said.
The fluorescent lights of the suburban Best Buy hummed with a specific kind of energy that Tuesday in November 2017. Inside his wallet, Leo had a folded, slightly crinkled coupon he’d managed to snag from a promotional mailer.
Leo produced the paper coupon. In 2017, Best Buy was still honoring select and occasionally matching their own "My Best Buy" digital offers if you showed them on the mobile app. The cashier scanned the barcode. A satisfying beep followed. "Total is now $199.99 plus tax," the cashier smiled.
Leo walked out into the crisp autumn air, feeling the ultimate "deal-hunter" high. He had the tech, he had the savings, and most importantly, he had enough left over to grab a copy of Dunkirk on 4K to test out his new rig.