When to Shop on Black Friday
Maybe you’ve already started your holiday shopping. You made a deal on Singles Day or one of the many pre-holiday sales hosted by retailers in early November. But that’s all – preparation for the big day: Black Friday.
I know, I said before, that Black Friday is now a thing of the past because online shopping has ensured that the deals are indeed all around us, almost all the time.
While you can certainly save money on holiday gifts throughout the fall, Black Friday is still our tradition. Seventy-one percent of shoppers think Black Friday has the lowest prices of the year, according to a survey conducted on CouponBirds’ coupon codes site.
And when it comes down to it, these buyers are not wrong. Wirecutter named several categories that are still major savings on Black Friday: small kitchen appliances, Amazon-branded products, smartwatches and fitness trackers, and game consoles.
“Retailers don’t necessarily put off the best deals for this time of year; rather, we are seeing good sales alongside big deals, ”said Michael Bonbright, consumer analyst at DealNews.com , pointing to time-limited or limited-volume deals. “Black Friday is good because there are so many things on sale.”
Yes, it is true that we have a complex understanding of the pitfalls of consumerism . But if you’ve already put together a humble and realistic gift shopping list that includes any of the following, you might be better off sticking to tradition and postponing shopping until Black Friday.
Video games and consoles
As writer Elissa Sanchi pointed out in the New York Times, game consoles are usually not included in the membership. “As PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles continue to age – and as rumors of next-gen devices spread on the horizon – it seems likely that we will finally see substantial discounts on high-end gaming consoles like the PlayStation 4. Pro and Xbox One. X, ”she wrote.
Consumer goods expert Andrea Vorokh also referred to video games and consoles. “Everyone from Target to Walmart to Sam’s Club will be promoting big game console deals and offering bundled deals,” which include games and controllers, she said in an email.
Smart home devices
Waroch and Bonebright have cited smart home devices as the main source of savings this Black Friday. Waroch noted that there was a 30-40% discount on video intercoms last year on Black Friday.
And don’t forget about Amazon devices. Apart from Prime Day, Black Friday tends to be the largest on Amazon. “The third generation [Echo] Dot from Amazon will be available for $ 22 in almost every retail store during Black Friday,” he said. for just $ 65. “The device typically retails for $ 49.99. Of course, you might not need the few items that come with the holiday kit. But that says it’s worth doing a shopping comparison before settling on the first one. the deal you see.
Small household appliances and vacuum cleaners
Aside from bench mixers and popular tools like the Instant Pot, kitchen appliances can come at ridiculously low prices, even for established brands. “You … will find a bunch of door stops on small appliances like pans, coffee makers and toasters, sometimes for as little as $ 10 or less,” Woroch said. “Some of these deals may require a discount, so just make sure you take the extra step of mailing it to close the deal.”
Waroch also pointed to vacuum cleaners and kitchen appliances as major deals. Some brands, such as Dyson, rarely go on sale before Black Friday, she said.
And while my own experience is far from scientific, I can tell you this: whenever I needed a new vacuum cleaner or a new blender, I waited until Black Friday or Cyber Monday and got a much better model than what I would have. were willing to pay full price for.
TV sets
If you want to improve your home viewing experience, you can look forward to a $ 100 to $ 400 discount on 4K TVs on Black Friday, with some $ 500 or more discounts on larger (60-inch) TVs, said Christine McGrath, editor at BlackFriday. .com . “Be sure to check model numbers, specs and brand,” she warned, as some of the door jokes are inexpensive (often referred to as derivatives). “Don’t be surprised at the poor quality of the set. “
Bottom line: When it comes to the items you need to hook up, Black Friday is probably the best time to get a great deal.
“Most stores offer similar prices online and in brick-and-mortar stores, so you shouldn’t shop at regular outlets,” Bonbright said. The only exception is Target, which will offer several competitive offers in store only.