For an updated list of best places to shop for smart devices, visit GearBran's 7 Best Places to Shop for Smart Devices 2019.

If you've never bought a smart home device — or if you just don't know where to look — the search can get pretty frustrating. You don't know which stores will give you the best deals, or if it's better just to buy online.

On top of that, there are so many deals out there that comparing ten or so sites can be a chore that takes up an entire day. Who has that sort of time?

Here are five of the best places to get IoT or smart devices — start your search here and move broader once you're more comfortable.

Aside from Alexa devices, Amazon has a number of smart devices for sale on its siteiStock

Amazon

Amazon is one of the biggest e-commerce websites to date. Its inventory seems almost unlimited so it makes sense that this would be one of the best places to start your search. Also, not only does Amazon have a huge selection of wireless and connected devices, it makes its own — you can get an Amazon Echo, or one of its other Alexa-enabled devices, right on the website.

This site also has some of the best deals out there — cyber holidays like Deals Week, Black Friday, Cyber Monday or Prime Day will drop the prices of smart devices so low you'll be in a hurry to catch them.

With physical stores, Best Buy lets you look at smart home devices in person before you buyiStock

Best Buy

Beating out Circuit City and Radio Shack, Best Buy is now one of the main retailers for electronics and electronic accessories. On top of that, they have their deals and savings right on the front page of its website. And with an entire category just for smart home items, you know you're getting the full selection.

Target is known for its discounts, and they are often applied to smart home devicesiStock

Target

Target is a bit like Amazon if it looked like if they were a retail store. The place has everything from clothes and food to electronics and beauty supplies. During the holiday season, they have loads of deals — free shipping and common place.

Some of Target's main IoT categories includes drones, VR and smart home automation devices — but be sure to search for a deal, easy to do right from main search on the web site.

Online store Smart Home is known for smart devicesiStock

Online Smart Home Superstores

Would you rather shop online and have even better deals? Online superstore Smart Home only sells smart devices — this way, you can spend less time shifting through useless categories and get right to the specificities.

Walmart is another physical store known for rollbacks, as well as smart home devicesiStock

Walmart isn't just for your late night Cheetos run anymore. The superstore now has a bunch of smart home and wearable devices. With "Rollbacks" happening right now, you'll also definitely get a good deal on a holiday present. If you're an organization buying smart devices, you can also see if you're available for the Walmart Tax Exemption Program — this way you won't be charged extra for your products.

This list is, of course, not all-encompassing and different stores have better prices at different times of the year. If you see a deal at another retailer that you know can't go any lower, chances are it won't. So don't test your luck — and don't waste any good opportunities. And if you need any additional information, check out GearBrain's guide to what you need to know before building a smart home.