It’s the bargain-hunter’s busiest time of the year! With so many of us watching our spending these days, Black Friday has become almost as much of a holiday as Thanksgiving.
Here are some tips to help you find the best deals this Thanksgiving/Black Friday weekend.
1. Go early. I mean really early. Stores usually have limited stock on the very best bargains. If you plan to linger over your morning coffee before you hit the Black Friday sales, you may as well wait until Saturday to do your shopping.
In fact, some major retailers will open in the evening on Thanksgiving, and even more will open this year at midnight Friday morning. So waiting until 4 a.m. on Friday is waiting too late.
2. Shop online. While the stores will definitely have some deep discounts this weekend, you don’t necessarily have to leave your house to score big bargains. One advantage of shopping online is that you can find coupon codes that will work in addition to retailer discounts. Check the Shopping tab here at Wichita on the Cheap over the weekend to find some of those codes.
I’ll probably start my shopping before the turkey even goes into the oven. Again, the early bird gets the biggest bargains online, with one exception…
3. Cyber Monday deals are found online the Monday after Thanksgiving. So far, I’ve learned that at least a few retailers will offer bigger percent-off discounts on Cyber Monday than they do on Black Friday or Thanksgiving Day. That’s good news for those of us who would like our turkey dinners to digest a little bit before diving into the frenzy.
A few retailers, like Walmart, will spread their sales over the weekend, with some deep discounts on Friday, new discounts on Saturday and Sunday, and more discounts online for Cyber Monday.
4. Search the internet for upcoming sales. But remember, the Black Friday ads leaked in advance may provide a “hint” at what is coming, but they are usually “unofficial and unconfirmed,” so don’t be upset with the merchant if they don’t offer the bargain you saw in a leaked ad.
I’ve compiled a short list of confirmed Black Friday deals at several of the bigger stores. Find it here: 2011 Black Friday Deals and News
5. Start NOW comparing prices and features on products you have on your shopping list so that you’ll recognize a good deal when you see it.
The features of an item can make all the difference in whether or not it’s a deal at the advertised price. Decide whether you must have the 1080p for your HDTV, or whether 720p will do. This is especially true for electronics, where a few gigabites or megapixels more or less can make a big difference in price. It also applies to small kitchen appliances. Research your products – know the difference between digital zoom and optical zoom when buying a digital camera, for instance.
6. Also, start now comparing the accessories that go with the games and electronics. If you just grab all the accessories and the batteries displayed next to Black Friday purchase, you may spend all your savings. Instead, you may be able to use a coupon to buy batteries, or score a great deal on a memory card at a discount club. The accessories for the item may be cheaper online or at another store.
7. Finally, if you miss out on Black Friday deals, Free Shipping Day on Friday, December 16, may also a good time to purchase online – especially for last minute shoppers. Stores want to take advantage of the opportunity to make sales, so they will offer discounts in addition to free shipping.
8. According to Deal News article, “10 Things Not to Buy on Black Friday”, toys are historically cheaper in December than they are on Black Friday. Another good point made in that article is that the really big Black Friday discounts are mostly on generic items. Name-brand electronics with higher specs, toys, and gift card deals may continue to get better as the big Christmas holiday approaches.
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