Some of us look forward to the Black Friday season all year long, hoping to get the best price on a new TV , a smart speaker , a printer or other high-tech device.
But the year 2021 presents some unique challenges, with significant shortages in some product categories; yes, we are talking about laptops and video game consoles, plus higher shipping costs and longer delivery times for items ordered on line.
It is also difficult to know when it is better to buy. Some of the major retailers are starting their holiday sales weeks earlier than usual this year, and consumers will have to decide whether to buy earlier to ensure they get the items they want, or wait until closer to Black Friday in hopes of getting. the best deals.
As the COVID pandemic continues – 19, many people may choose to minimize their store visits and, in change, they buy online. But industry experts expect stores to be more crowded than in the year 2020.
However, there is something that has not changed: many of those offers that pretend to be fantastic are not so good how they sound and it’s easy to get fooled.
Don’t worry, Consumer Reports has been tracking Black Friday deals for years and we know all the tricks. Our 10 Best Black Friday Shopping Tips will help you find the best deals and minimize frustration and overspending.
The last 3 tips on the list below are especially for TVs as they are always the most in demand item at this time of year.
1. Start earlier. The analysts we spoke to agree that starting buying earlier this year will be a good strategy, not only because the deals start earlier, but also because fashion products can sell out quickly or not arrive at your door on time.
“There are certain items that you should not wait until Black Friday or Cyber Monday to buy them ”Says Julie Ramhold, consumer analyst at shopping site DealNews.com . “For example, it will be difficult to find any of the newer video game consoles like the PS5, Xbox Series S or Series X, or the Nintendo Switch OLED, and they are unlikely to have discounts on Black Friday and Cyber Monday anyway.” .
Toys must also be purchased in advance, he says. “This summer, manufacturers warned that there would be demand problems this holiday season, so it is better to pre-order toys that have not yet come out and buy the ones that interest you when you see them.”
Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis at market research firm NPD Group, is a bit more optimistic about the shortage, in addition to high-end graphics cards and video game consoles . “If it’s a category, like PCs or televisions, where there are alternatives to a specific model, you should be able to find something. In my opinion, the biggest problem for most consumers this year will be the price, due to the much higher costs of the products and the decrease in the levels of promotional activities. ”
Sales at some retailers have already started. Amazon, for example, now runs what it calls “Black Friday-worthy” deals on various product categories.
Target has already held its first Deal Days event, from 10 to the 12 October, in stores and in online stores. Among the purchases was an Element 4K Roku TV from 50 inches (the Element E4AA 55 R) by $ 330, approximately $ 100 discount and a set of Beats Solo 3 Headphones with a discount of $ 200 to $ 150, and that remained the price even after the sale officially ended.
Like last year, Walmart will hold 3 different events of “Deals by the day” throughout of November, starting with online sales and then in stores . The first event, with electronic products and toys, will begin on November 3 online and will continue in stores from November 5. Offers will include a inches per $ 228.
The second sale event, which will also include clothing and household items, will begin on 10 November online and will continue in stores starting 10 of November. An HP i3 laptop will be available for $ 279. Details and dates for the third event have yet to be announced.
New this year is that Walmart + members, who pay $ 13 per month or $ 98 per year for a similar membership to Amazon Prime, they will have early access to Black Friday events online. Walmart + members will be able to purchase deals 4 hours prior to the scheduled start time for non-members.
Best Buy says their Black Friday Deals will start one week before Thanksgiving, that is, Friday 19 of November. No specific offers have been announced yet, but the company says contactless curbside pickup will be available at all Best Buy locations.
2. Avoid in-store deals and buy online. While there will likely be a few more in-store promotions than last year, analysts are expecting fewer than in previous days to the pandemic. But retailers will offer the same promotions online as in stores. And online shoppers can view more free delivery offers and in-store shipping programs with contactless curbside pickup.
“Over the past two years, even Before the pandemic, we saw promotional activity spill over into all retail channels, ”says NPD’s Baker. “This year we could see an uptick in online promotion right after Thanksgiving as retailers try to get bored Black Friday consumers excited. I think the days of the crazy Black Friday morning promotions you only found in the store are probably coming to an end. ”
Several major retailers including Best Buy, Costco , Target and Walmart have already announced that they will be closing on Thanksgiving. We’ll have to wait to see what types of promotions they will offer during the Black Friday / Cyber Monday weekend for in-store and online shoppers.
3. Use websites and apps. To judge how good the deals really are in times of crisis, you need to keep track of pre-Black Friday prices. The same goes for Cyber Monday, which now turns into a week of online specials. But you don’t have to go from retailer to retailer to compare prices. The Consumer Reports website lists current prices at various outlets for the products in our ratings. You can also try Google Shopping , PriceGrabber , and Shopzilla . When you’re in a store, smartphone apps like BuyVia, Shopkick, ShopSavvy, and Shopular allow you to scan barcodes or QR codes to compare prices, get discounts, and accumulate coupons.
There are now dozens of websites running filtered (and authorized) Black Friday ads. We frequently check these sites: BestBlackFriday.com , DealNews , TheBlackFriday.com , Deals Plus / BlackFriday.fm , and GottaDeal . Sign up for sale notifications, which you can usually filter by product category.
Retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and Walmart also have their own shopping apps . The Amazon mobile application, for example, allows you to use the camera of a smartphone to scan products and compare the price when you are in a store. (When you’re done checking everything off your vacation list, remove the apps you don’t use to protect your privacy and security .)
But direct price comparison can be really tough in the run-up to Black Friday. The best deals often include models that are not available in other stores or found nowhere else at the beginning of the year. Here are two quick tips:
• Browser extensions can help. These are small pieces of software that you can add to web browsers like Chrome and Firefox to personalize your browsing experience. For example, CamelCamelCamel and Honey are tools that will show you price histories and price or coupon alerts while shopping online.
• To be a web savvy shopper, Add items to your shopping cart if they have a price you like, so you can quickly find them again and be ready to order. Then visit other retailers’ websites to see if the price is really special. However, putting an item in your cart does not reserve it; You must place your order and get a confirmation that it has been received.
4. Join a loyalty program. Store loyalty programs often give members early access to coupons, sales, and promotions, and then allow them to earn rewards for what they buy. So sign up for Black Friday shopping alerts. In some cases, you can even find out if the products you want are in stock or eligible to buy online and pick them up at a store, which can save you money on shipping.
5. Get social. Your favorite retailers’ Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter feeds are a great way to find out about exclusive deals and promotions. Retailers will often reward customers who like or follow them with special notifications about Black Friday discounts and incentives. And of course, text messages, tweets, and social media posts are also an easy way to share Black Friday shopping information with your friends.
6. Create a budget and stick to it. Yes, this sounds simple. But Black Friday sales, especially specials available in limited quantities, are designed in part to get you to a store or buy online so the retailer can sell you things you didn’t intend to buy. It is very easy to get caught up in excitement and overspend. Decide in advance how much you want your Black Friday purchases to cost, and do your best to resist the shocks. impulsive rashes, especially if you’re not sure how good the deal is.
With the switch to online shopping, many of us will use credit cards to pay for shopping. One benefit is that many cards will double the manufacturer’s warranty. But beware of interest-free promotions offered by store credit cards. They’re fine if you’re disciplined enough to pay off the balance before the promotional period ends, but if you don’t, you’ll be stuck paying interest on the full amount of the purchase, even if you’ve paid off much of the balance.
7. Check all store policies in advance. It is always good to know a store’s return and price adjustment policies. Analysts expect more retailers to match prices for specific offers this year. Almost all major retailers have some type of price match policy and have been expanding it almost every year.
For example, Target has already announced that people who buy any product since October to 24 may request a price adjustment if the price drops later in the season. Target also says it will continue its policy of matching selected competitors’ prices within 19 days after the customer’s purchase.
However, some stores suspend their price match guarantees on certain items during Black Friday weekend, so read the fine print. Check the return and exchange policies for Black Friday sales to make sure the store doesn’t charge you a restocking fee for any item you pick up.
Tips for TV buyers only
Televisions deserve special attention because many people look for deals at this time of year. Here are 3 Black Friday shopping tips for anyone looking for a new TV.
8. Buy a large TV to get a bigger discount. Analysts say that when promotions begin this year, the biggest price cuts are likely to come on larger TVs, from size of 65 inches or more. Of course, these usually have higher prices than the small ones.
However, it is difficult to predict how good the offers will be. Paul Gagnon, senior director of research at market research firm Omdia, says prices rose for much of the year, which is unusual. Cites unexpectedly high demand in early 2021 , as well as rising transportation costs, shipping delays, and shortages of key components, including television screens or panels.
“The prices of LCD panels are now going down, but the logistics jam is worse now than before, and the price of shipping containers has skyrocketed, ”says Gagnon. “The net effect is that higher shipping costs more than offset lower prices for LCD panels, but it is not yet clear how that will affect holiday season promotions.”
9. Consider a “derivative” TV model. Starting this month, you’ll start to see low-priced TVs made specifically for Black Friday. Some are available only from a single retailer. These sets are called “derivatives” because they are derived from conventional models; they just have different model numbers and maybe reduced features like fewer HDMI inputs or a simpler remote.
We didn’t test all derivative models, but we do bring some of them to the lab. We often find some TVs derived from major brands that performed well in CR’s tests, despite being priced between $ 100 and $ 150 less.
However, no all televisions featured at this time of year are secondary , really. Therefore, it can be difficult to judge the quality of newly introduced equipment and it is also difficult to compare prices. Consumer Reports will tell you about these highly touted machines as they come on the market and help you choose the best deals.
12. Be careful with the cheapest equipment. Super-low price specials appeal to people with savings intentions, but devices, often from lesser-known brands, are not always worth it.
“Always It’s worth reminding people that Black Friday products are often older technology or specifically designed to be sold at a special price on Black Friday and may not be exactly what a consumer would choose, ”says NPD’s Baker. .
Please note that you will be using your new TV for several years. If you are not satisfied with the features or the image quality, you may regret not spending the $ 50 to $ 100 additional to get something better.
Those televisions that have lost their popularity are also usually at the lowest price. A retailer may be better able to offer you more discount on an advanced or flagship model, and you shouldn’t hesitate to negotiate a better price, regardless of the time of year.
Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer , safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2020, Consumer Reports, Inc.
Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with the advertisers on this site. Consumer Reports is an independent nonprofit organization that works with consumers to create a just, safe, and healthy world. CR does not endorse products or services and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2020, Consumer Reports, Inc.