If you are regretting not buying a DNA test kit this past holiday season, don't worry. If there is a holiday, there is likely a DNA sale somewhere. And that is true for this Valentine's Day.
Please
take note, wondering minds can always click the labels/tags in our
blog's left-hand column to see the sales in past years to get an idea of
the sales trends for prior years. Click on the desired topic or the
Savings tag/label.
MyHeritageDNA
MyHeritageDNA
(autosomal) tests regularly $79 each are on sale for $49 each
(plus taxes and shipping) until February 14, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. Orders of two or more DNA kits receive free shipping.
MyHeritageDNA
is one of the younger players in the DNA and genealogy testing niche but it is becoming a must be at for its DNA tools. Its
customer base is more international. MyHeritage has chromosome browser
feature and made its internal
member messaging feature free. It also offers an ethnicity/admixture
report and a list of DNA matches. No data subscription is needed to
see/use all the DNA matching features including its AutoCluster feature.
A few additional features were added earlier this year and last year --
like an update to its ethnicity estimates and genetic groups including
viewing the genetic groups of your match and seeing what you have in
common.
As a reminder, MyHeritageDNA also sells its test kits on Amazon.com and often at sale prices when it is having a sale. However, for this sale the MyHeritageDNA test is not on sale on Amazon. Remember when you do find a sale price, make
sure the seller shown is MyHeritage fulfilled by Amazon and not sold by
a
third-party unauthorized seller. Non-Amazon Prime members get free shipping due to the
total cost and because it is fulfilled by Amazon; prime members just get
quicker 2-day shipping for free.
 |
| Look for this before adding your item to your cart. |
23andMe
Each of 23andMe's test offerings are on sale for Valentine's Day. This sale runs through February 14, 2022. There is a limit of 2 kits for this sale. Remember taxes and shipping are extra. There are a few sale options available.
23andMe's Ancestry + Traits DNA test is regularly $99 but is on sale for $79.
23andMe's Health + Ancestry Service is regularly priced $199 but is on
sale for $149.
Another sale option is a bundle: the 23andMe Health + Ancestry Service test kit (regularly $199, sale $149) plus one year of the 23andMe Membership for $29 (regular price) for a total price of $178.
23andMe
Ancestry Service (autosomal DNA) provides an ethnicity (admixture)
report, list of DNA matches,
chromosome browser and an internal member messaging system. 23andMe also
provides a general look at your Y-DNA haplogroup (if male) and a
general look at your
mtDNA haplogroup. Some DNA matching features/tools are now part of the
subscription service. A newer feature is the Family Tree feature which
is automatically built from your DNA relationships. See the 23andMe website to learn more about the
Health service features which includes 10+ Health Pre-disposition reports, 5+ Wellness reports, and 40+ Carrier Status reports.
23andMe made some changes to its service in 2019 without any announcements to its customers before the changes happened. Be
aware that with the recent ethnicity update it was learned that testers
on the earlier testing chips would not receive any ethnicity updates at
this time, only those on the V5 Chip. Also, a few months prior testers'
DNA matches were reduced down to just 1,500 matches. (That leaves most
testers with matches related at the furthest in the 4th to 5th cousin
range.) The search capabilities also have been restricted from what it
had been capable of before. 23andMe is now implementing a
yearly subscription ($29/year) for customers on the V5 Chip who also
have tested their Health too. Those that subscribe get access to three
times the DNA matches, advanced search capabilities (like those that
were there before and some other ways to filter matches), and a new
series of health reports related to genetics and medicines as well as
some predisposition reports. Unfortunately, that would mean existing
customers not on the V5 chip would need to retest (yes, pay) so their DNA is on the V5
chip. But if an early tester is deceased there is no way to re-test that
person on the V5 Chip.
With
these changes, 23andMe reduces it usability for most genealogists to
use DNA to aid their research. For adoptees, donor conceived and others
searching for mis-attributed parentage (not parent expected) situations,
you still never know where that someone tested and so at a good sale
price the 23andMe Ancestry Only test or really good sale price for the
23andMe Ancestry+Health test it might be worthwhile. But there may be
limitations if that someone they seek is tested on a V4 or earlier chip.
As a reminder, 23andMe also sells its test kits on Amazon.com and often at sale prices when it is having a sale. So, at the time of this posting this time the
sale price on the Amazon website is as good as the 23andMe website deal
or a bit better because shipping is free. Non-Amazon Prime
members get free shipping due to the
total cost and because it is fulfilled by Amazon while Amazon Prime members
just get
quicker 2-day shipping for free. But be cautious and make sure the test
kit you are buying is "sold by 23andMe, Inc and fulfilled by
Amazon" to insure you are buying a genuine test kit. You will find this
information just below the price. See the image below.
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| Look for this before adding your item to your cart. |
Family Tree DNA
The Family Tree DNA Valentine's Day also ends on February 14, 2022. Shipping and taxes are extra which vary depending on where the test is
shipped. From a while back the shipping cost to Michigan was about
$12.95 for one kit which covers the receiving and sending the test.
For this holiday, the autosomal DNA test is on sale.
FamilyFinder (autosomal for male or female) regular price $79 ... now $59
FamilyFinder (autosomal for male or female) + myDNA Wellness regular price $119 ... now $79
Learn more about the myDNA Wellness package and its health insights based on your DNA at the FamilyTreeDNA website.
Family Tree DNA provides an ethnicity (admixture) report, list
of DNA matches, chromosome browser and allows DNA matches to contact a match directly if that match allows it. Once
tested, DNA samples are stored so that additional test types (upgrades)
can be added if desired. Family Tree DNA is the only genealogy DNA
testing company that offers all three DNA test types: autosomal, Y-DNA
and mtDNA. No subscription is needed to see/use all the DNA matching
features. See our previous post containing some Reminders and Cautions regarding changes with Family Tree DNA.
warnings.
As
a reminder, Family Tree DNA sometimes sells its autosomal DNAtest kits (called FamilyFinder) on Amazon.com and
often at sale prices when it is having a sale. For this sale it is $59
at Amazon so buying from Amazon eliminates the shipping costs. (Make
sure the seller shown is FamilyTreeDNA fulfilled by Amazon and not sold by a
third-party unauthorized seller.) Non-Amazon Prime members get free
shipping due to the
total cost and because it is fulfilled by Amazon; prime members just get
quicker 2-day shipping for free.
 |
| Look for this before adding your item to your cart. |
Living DNA
The sale over at LivingDNA is a 20% sale in honor of Black History Month. LivingDNA Full Ancestry Kit regularly priced at $99 is on sale for $79 plus shipping and taxes.
(Free shipping when purchasing 3 or more kits at the same time) It is
described as the full ancestry experience from your deep ancestry
to DNA matching. It includes recent ancestry, sub-regional ancestry
breakdown, your DNA today, extended ancestry, DNA matching and free
ancestry updates.
The
LivingDNA Full Ancestry Kit is the original LivingDNA test comparable
to autosomal DNA tests at other genealogy/DNA testing companies.
LivingDNA is based in the United Kingdom so if you have a lot of English and Irish
ancestry the more detailed regions for Britain and Ireland in the
ethnicity may be of interest to you. (Part of the now LivingDNA Full Ancestry Kit.) The company is still building
itself so at a sale price it may be worth a try. Perhaps you will find a
clue to direct your search.
BUT
we have become aware that LivingDNA is now requiring that your
LivingDNA test be taken/used and sent in within one year of the date of purchase.
They will not process tests older than that despite the swab test tube
saying its expiration date is well after that. Based on a LivingDNA Support article
this change may have been implemented in early 2019. However,
we are not sure when its Terms of Services was changed to reflect this. So
if you have a LivingDNA test sitting around you might want to check its
purchase date. Hopefully you still have time, or you may need to pay
for shipping on a replacement test kit.
As
a reminder, LivingDNA sometimes sells its test kits on Amazon.com and
often at sale prices when it is having a sale. However, for this sale
LivingDNA is not selling its tests at all on Amazon at this time. (At the times
when LivingDNA does, make
sure the seller shown is LivingDNA fulfilled by Amazon and not sold by a
third-party unauthorized seller.) Non-Amazon Prime members get free
shipping due to the
total cost if the kit is fulfilled by Amazon; prime members just get
quicker 2-day shipping for free.
We will see if the other genealogy/DNA company joins the sales trend for this month's holiday. Maybe a flash sale or a game day sale?
See you soon someday at our favorite library!
LE
