Posted on 11/16/2007 10:24:36 AM PST by Dysart
If you want to be a savvy shopper on Black Friday, you may want to do your buying the day before.
This year, many retailers will offer deals traditionally reserved for the day after Thanksgiving on Turkey Day via their Web sites, consumer experts say.
"I will be on the computer shopping on Thanksgiving Day," said Edgar Dworsky, founder of ConsumerWorld.org, a leading consumer Web site. "Last year, I sat at home on Black Friday and felt so smug not having to go out and fight the crowds."
You will, indeed, find crowds if you venture out the day after Thanksgiving to shop. In the past four holiday seasons, Black Friday has been the No. 1 or 2 day for shopper traffic, competing with the Saturday before Christmas, according to data from ShopperTrak.com.
Among the traditional retailers expected to offer online "Black Thursday" deals are Circuit City, Best Buy, Staples and Office Max, said Dan De Grandpre, editor-in-chief of DealNews.com, a site that searches out the best bargains online. Retail giants Wal-Mart and Target will likely run Thanksgiving-specific online sales, as they did last year, he added.
"I don't think this is well-known by the general public or by people who shop at these stores regularly," he said. "Last year, shoppers found some items sold out in the store on Black Friday because it was sold online the day before."
Thanksgiving will also be the day Amazon.com releases the results of its "Customer Votes" promotion, a campaign resulting in low-priced deals for Amazon customers who vote among 18 products in a series of six ballots online. One of last year's items, a $100 Xbox 360, was so popular that it temporarily took down Amazon's servers, De Grandpre said.
In addition, "secret sales" for Black Friday will be announced on retailer Web sites on Thanksgiving -- deals that will not be advertised in traditional media, Dworsky said.
"You go online to find these sales, then you have to ask a clerk in the store to get them," Dworsky said. "Last year, a 40-inch high-definition television was offered through a secret sale for $1,199."
Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Circuit City have offered secret deals in the past, he said.
"Retailers are using the Web to tantalize shoppers and make them feel like they are in the know for items not in the circulars," Dworsky said.
He recommends that consumers have their online deals shipped, rather than trying to pick them up in the stores on Black Friday.
"Retailers are going to be so swamped with people at 5 a.m. with the same idea [that] they won't be ready for in-store pickup," he said.
IF YOU DARE
If you feel you must go out and be part of the madhouse on Black Friday, here are some strategies for making the most of it from Edgar Dworsky, founder of ConsumerWorld.org:
Look for the ads. Newspapers on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday will be bloated with circulars, ads and coupons. For a preview of the ads, go to www.bfads.net or www.blackfriday.gottadeal.com.
Analyze the deals. Not all advertised items are the best deals. Use Internet shopping robots at Shopping.com, PriceGrabber.com, Shopzilla.com or NexTag.com to compare what online stores charge for the same item. If you buy online, be sure to include tax and shipping in your total price for a true comparison. To check out the reputation of the seller use Shopzilla.com or ResellerRatings.com.
Research your product. "A low price on a lousy product is no bargain," Dworsky said. Check with professionals such as Consumer Reports, Steves-Digicams.com (for cameras), Ecoustics.com (televisions/stereo equipment), PCMagazine.com (computers) and best/worst toy lists. Also, read customer reviews at Epinions.com and Amazon.com.
Make what Dworsky calls the "triple play." Combine sale prices, coupons and cash-back rebates whenever possible.
Rise and shop. Look for limited quantity "doorbuster" deals with some of the lowest prices of the year as early as 5 a.m. Best Buy will be giving out numbers for hot items starting at 3 a.m. Send family members to different stores to maximize your purchasing power.
Keep checking for lower prices. Bargain shopping doesn't end with a product purchase, Dworsky said. Because many stores offer price-protection guarantees, you may be able to get some money if the seller or a competitor offers a lower price before Christmas.
-- Teresa McUsic
WHAT'S HOT THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
Toys
American Idol Talent Challenge
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
Barbie Girls
Eye-Clops
Hannah Montana Singing Dolls and Pop Star Stage
Nerf N-Strike Disk Shot
Smart Cycle
Swypeout Battle Racing
Transformers Arm Blasters
Electronics
iPods and accessories
Notebook PCs
Digital cameras iPhones
Digital picture frames
Large-screen digital televisions
Xbox 360
Nintendo Wii
PlayStation 3
GPS navigation systems
Source: International Council of Shopping Centers
Sharp AQUOS LC-52D62U 52-inch LCD HDTV
Happy online shopping and Merry Christmas.
Which one? #57?
Argh, very funny. Just follow the link...
ping für die Frau
;’}
I’m looking at buying HDTV soon ... not that big, though.
They say there will be a price drop shortly before Christmas, and another just after the Super Bowl. I just loathe the notion of throwing down ~$2600.00 only to have the price drop 30% or more 1 yr later. So I keep waiting.
you’ve had your eye on the quarterback’s butt ?
#5!
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