Top 10 Tips for Thanksgiving Day Savings
1. Check to see if your local grocery stores offers loyalty points that can
redeemed for a turkey.
2. Price compare the dollar stores first before grocery shopping.
3. Cook with crockpots. They consume less energy (costs about 2 cents an hour).
Check out Cooking.com for some great coupons and deals on crockpots as well as
other house wares.
4. Shop for grills and smokers before Thanksgiving week. You can find the best
deals in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. Check out either BBQGuys or Home
Depot for great deals on grills and smokers.
5. If you need new tires before hit the road, now is the best time for deals on
standard tires (winter tires are a different story). If you are a
do-it-yourselfer and want to save money, check out The Tire Rack.
6. If you are flying to your destination for the holidays, flights are usually
cheaper if you come back on Sunday morning rather than Saturday evening. Look
for early booking coupons from discounters like Travelocity, Expedia, and
Orbitz.
7. Go ahead and lower the thermostat right before people arrive for Thanksgiving
dinner. There is a lot of heat generating not only from cooking but also from
all the warm bodies!
8. If you buy soda, get two liter bottles (or three liters) instead of cans. The
same idea applies for cranberry, stuffing, and all your other fixings! Just make
sure to compare the unit price before committing to the purchase.
9. Create your shopping list first, and then check the mailers, inserts, or
CouponShack.com for grocery coupons. Shop only when you see a deal for an item
on your list.
10. If you are going to have a turkey for Christmas too, go ahead and get it
during the Thanksgiving holidays and freeze it. Turkeys are cheaper during
Thanksgiving than Christmas.
Black Friday Predictions
www.blackfriday.gottadeal.com
Having covered Black Friday extensively for the past six years, we are
in a better position than anyone else to offer predictions for this
year. Over the years we've noticed trends in the deals offered by the
major retailers and can offer a glimpse into what we believe will be
the 2009 Black Friday deals and hot items. We'll also give you some
predictions for the actual prices you'll see these items selling at
this Black Friday based on our research along with some general holiday
shopping predictions for this year.
Holiday Shopping
2009 is going to be an extremely important holiday shopping
season for all retailers, both traditional and online. Retailers know
this, and they have already started contacting this site regarding
having their sales included as well as purchasing advertising space.
They realize how significant Black Friday will be this year and are
taking steps to maximize their exposure to consumers.
Whether that increased importance will translate into hotter
deals than in past years remains to be seen. While we won't begin to
see a steady stream of new Black Friday ads until October, we are
predicting that retailers will be very competitive this year. Last
year, the deals overall seemed to lack that "wow" factor that they had
several years ago. There were some nice deals, but going by sales
figures as well as the opinions of the die-hard Black Friday shoppers
on our message boards, most stores failed to get consumers excited.
One trend that will continue is the extension of Black Friday from one
day into a prolonged period of sales. There were several retailers that
had "Black Friday in July" sales earlier this year. These sales were
not really comparable to the regular Black Friday sales, but the trend
of using the term "Black Friday" for sales that aren't specifically on
November 27th will likely continue. We expect stores beginning in
October to have Black Friday-level deals in their weekly ads, and we
expect some to even reference Black Friday in some way in those ads.
But the best deals and the largest quantity of them will still be on
the official Black Friday day as always.
With Black Friday once again falling later in the month, and
less than a month from Christmas, retailers will have to get consumers
shopping earlier rather than counting on Black Friday and the few
remaining weekends in December to provide most of their sales. Online
retailers, and brick & mortar retailers with e-commerce sites have
the advantage here as they can quickly prepare and promote online sales
leading up to Black Friday. These sales are fully covered on GottaDeal.com.
Let's have a look at specific items that should prove to be popular this year:
HDTVs
While HDTVs have been popular Black Friday items in the past few years,
we expect that this holiday season will be the a significant one for
HDTV purchases by the average consumer. Prices have dropped this year
more than any previous year, and with the digital TV transition now
complete, a large part of the general public is looking to get a new
HDTV, either as a primary or secondary television, and this Black
Friday should provide an large number of deals.
With HDTVs, quality can vary greatly from the cheaper to the
more expensive units. In many cases, the lowest-priced models on Black
Friday are stripped-down models made exclusively for that retailer's
sale. In many cases they lack features and the quality components used
to manufacture higher priced models. That doesn't necessarily mean that
these deals aren't great - it's just a case of "buyer beware" as you
should not expect $2,000 performance from a $500 HDTV.
The two primary types of flat panel HDTVs in the Black Friday
ads will be LCD and Plasma. Plasma HDTVs tend to be cheaper going by
cost per inch, but that is not always the case as there are some very
high-end, highly rated plasma models out there. The maximum resolution
of an HDTV is also something that you'll see in the ads. Most HDTVs
will either be 1080p or 720p. These numbers represent the maximum lines
of horizontal resolution that the TV can display at once. 1080p is the
native resolution for things like Blu-ray, some video games and other
sources, and being higher resolution means that these models will cost
more.
LCD HDTVs can come with different refresh rates. As of a
couple years ago, most models were 60Hz. Newer models are 120Hz or
higher. Most consumers won't notice the difference between the
different rates, although on some source materials such as movies shot
on film, it can be somewhat noticeable. Newer technology such as
LED-backlit HDTVs has hit the market, however it will likely be another
year or two before these models get the full Black Friday discount
treatment from retailers.
On to price predictions. We fully expect to see 42" plasma and
HDTVs in the $399 to $499 range this year. During the last few months
on GottaDeal.com,
we've posted deals for 42" HDTVs for under $600 in a few cases, so it's
completely realistic to expect at least one retailer to have a deal
under $400 on a lower-quality model. These cheaper HDTVs will likely be
720p and will lack features found in more expensive models. We expect
prices on 50" plasma and LCD HDTVs to also fall this Black Friday,
perhaps to somewhere around $599 to $699.
Stepping up to the full 1080p resolution will cost a little
bit more, but in most cases it will be worth the extra cost when you
factor in how long you will be using this HDTV and how most sources in
the future (television, movies, video games) will be in native 1080p
resolution. On GottaDeal.com
we've posted 42" 1080p LCD HDTVs for under $700 recently, so it would
not surprise us to see a 42" 1080p LCD HDTV in Black Friday ads for
$499 to $549. 46" and 50" versions should be available for around $649
and $799 respectively.
Deals on smaller HDTVs (and standard TVs with the new digital
tuners) will also be plentiful this year. 32" LCD HDTVs will be had for
$299 and 37" models will be $399 or less. For those looking to replace
smaller bedroom TVs with HDTVs, expect great deals on both smaller LCD
HDTVs as well as standard tube TVs that now include the new digital
ATSC tuners. Stores these days tend to not stock as many of these
because of size constraints, but they will often make one-time
purchases for Black Friday, so expect something like a 20" TV with
digital tuner in the $79 range. We expect to see a 19" LCD HDTV for
around $99 this year as well, so it should be a great year to outfit
your entire home with HD-capable displays.
While Black Friday is a great time to buy the loss-leader,
lower-end HDTVs, if you are looking for a deal on a higher quality,
name-brand HDTV, the best time to buy is typically in early to
mid-December as retailers ramp up the deals to get those last minute
sales before the holidays. And even if you miss those deals, the
pre-Super Bowl TV deals are also very attractive.
Laptops and Desktops
One of the biggest hot Black Friday ad items traditionally has
been the ultra-cheap laptop. However times have changed drastically in
the last few years. Back in 2005, the thought of a $399 laptop made
grown men drool with anticipation. However as component and
manufacturing costs have dropped, it's common to see a $399 laptop in a
Sunday ad any week of the year, or offered at online retailers such as
Dell.
The recent surge in popularity of a new wave of "netbooks" -
stripped down, mini laptops with 7-12" screens - has also had a big
impact on the overall laptop market and the deals we can expect on
Black Friday this year. Desktop computers, while still popular, are not
as "sexy" as they've been in the past. They have become almost
disposable because of price drops and the fact that it doesn't take
much in terms of features to handle what 99% of the general public uses
a desktop for in their daily lives.
If you are considering purchasing a laptop on Black Friday
this year, we can't stress enough how important it is to decide what
features you need and what you will be using the laptop for. There will
be cheap laptops, but if they don't fit your needs, as good of a deal
they may seem on the surface, you will end up disappointed soon after
you purchase it. Questions to consider: what size screen do you need?
Is weight an important factor? What about battery life? Do you need to
be able to burn DVDs on the laptop? Some parts of the laptop (such as
RAM memory) can always be upgraded later on, but other components such
as screen size, battery life and processor are usually permanent.
The "classic" Black Friday laptop the last few years has had a
15.4" widescreen LCD display, a dual-core processor, 2GB of memory,
160GB hard drive and usually a combo CD-RW/DVD drive, along with
standard features such as WiFi, modem and ethernet port. Laptops like
these have been available all year long from retailers such as Best
Buy, Dell and Staples for as low as $349. Therefore we predict we'll
see this level of laptop in Black Friday ads for around $249 to $299
this year. We'll also predict an upgraded model with a faster Core 2
Duo processor, 4GB of RAM, DVD burner and larger hard drive for $349,
and maybe less.
As for netbooks, we expect those to be very popular and
heavily discounted on Black Friday, as retailers will use the ultra-low
prices to "shock" the average consumer who still isn't aware that these
models even existed. We've posted deals on GottaDeal.com
during the year for these netbooks for as low as $149. As with regular
laptops, these mini machines vary greatly in specs and features. We
expect to see the cheapest of these netbooks for around $99 this Black
Friday, but there will be deals on models with better features. Realize
that these are not meant to be your primary machine. They are great for
light tasks such as web browsing and e-mail, but the small screen size
and smaller keyboard make long-term use uncomfortable in most cases.
Desktop computers will continue to sell, however we're
reaching the point of diminishing returns as any budget desktop bought
last Black Friday will be just as good as most advertised this year.
For 99% of daily tasks (internet, e-mail, homework, office work), it
doesn't take more than a low-end desktop to handle these tasks. This
year we expect a mid-level desktop (dual core processor, 4GB of RAM,
320GB hard drive, DVD burner) bundled with a 19" or 20" LCD monitor to
be in the $299 range. Upgrade to a faster quad-core processor, more
RAM, bigger hard drive and a 24" monitor for $100 to $150 more.
Computer Peripherals
We predict computer peripherals to continue to be very popular.
Expect very hot deals on LCD monitors as prices have dropped lately .We
are expecting 19" monitors to be in Black Friday ads in the $69-79
range and 22" models for possibly as low as $99. 24" models should be
around $149 as well. A recent trend is to include HDTV tuners in
computer LCD monitors to make them dual-purpose, but the cheaper models
included in Black Friday ads will not have these advanced features.
As with every Black Friday, expect a lot of deals on things
like external hard drives, flash drives and mice/keyboard sets. These
items always sell well on Black Friday and we expect those trends to
continue this year. External hard drives have become very popular
recently and we're expecting 1TB external drives to be around $79.
500GB external drives around $39 and the smaller, portable 320GB drives
for around $49 this year. 4GB flash drives could be as low as $5. 8GB
flash drives should be around $15 and 16GB versions should be $25 or
less. Storage is very cheap these days and that fact will be reflected
in the ads this year.
GPS Systems
GPS navigation systems were huge the last two years during
Black Friday and we expect much of the same this year. There hasn't
been much new innovation since last year, but prices have continued to
drop as new models have been released with incremental feature upgrades
such as updated maps, traffic and weather capability and improved
displays. Garmin and TomTom have been the cream of the crop as far as
sales and popularity this past year, with brands such as Magellan and
Nextar in the next class.
We've posted deals all year long on GottaDeal.com
for GPS systems well below $100 and therefore we expect to see a budget
GPS system with 3.5" LCD display for $49 this year on Black Friday, and
more name-brand, feature-loaded models from the manufacturers just
mentioned for under $100. Larger models with 4.3" displays, Bluetooth
and real-time traffic service should be around $129-149 this year. Last
year, some of the best GPS deals on Black Friday were found at
retailers not normally associated with electronics, so be sure to check
all the ads this year.
With GPS systems, we recommend reading as many reviews as
possible from current owners before choosing a model. You'll also want
to investigate if it is possible to update the maps on the device, and
what that will cost you. Many of the budget, no-name models will not
have this ability. With GPS systems, we firmly believe that if you are
willing to pay an extra $50-75, you can get a lot more features and
you'll be much happier with your purchase down the line.
Audio & Video
Blu-ray is the standard next-generation format for movies, and
therefore we expect some nice deals on Blu-ray players and movies on
Black Friday. We fully expect Blu-ray players to appear in Black Friday
ads for as low as $99, and we wouldn't be shocked to see a major
retailer like Walmart offer a stripped-down Blu-ray player for $79 in
their ad this year if they are able to secure enough quantity. While
extremely cheap DVD movies have always been a staple of Black Friday,
Blu-ray movies have been slow to follow suit, however we expect this
year's ads to include some very low prices on Blu-ray movies,
especially those that have been out for some time.
Along with Blu-ray, home theater systems will also be popular
as retailers attempt to get those consumers who are purchasing a new
HDTV to make it a complete home theater by adding a receiver and
speakers. Budget 5.1 channel home theater systems should be listed in
Black Friday ads for as low as $49. Get one with an integrated DVD
player for as low as $69. As with most electronics, you get what you
pay for with these systems. In most cases you are better off using the
built-in speakers in your TV instead of buying one of these cheap home
theater systems.
iPods and MP3 players are always a hot seller on Black Friday.
Apple may be introducing new versions of their popular iPods. In most
cases, retailers cannot advertise iPods at prices lower than the
standard MSRP, so expect to see promotions such as free accessories,
free iTunes cards or free store gift cards with the purchase of these
music players. Accessories for iPods are also expected to see big price
cuts. This includes items such as alarm clocks, docking speaker
systems, automotive accessories, cases and headphones. Deals on MP3
players from manufacturers such as SanDisk, Creative, Archos, Samsung,
Sony and others should be attractive as they continue their difficult
attempt to gain market share from Apple.
Cameras, Camcorders & Digital Frames
While a few years ago digital cameras were a huge Black Friday
item, these days nearly everyone has one and so it takes more than just
a cheap price to get people to open their wallets. As one of the most
popular online deal sites, we believe digital camera deals are usually
better during the year than they are on Black Friday. While going
through the ads each year, we always notice cameras on "sale" for
prices much more than they can be ordered online. So if you are
considering a digital camera, we suggest you follow our online deals
instead of relying on Black Friday for the best deals.
Digital camcorders are becoming a little more popular as features are
added and both prices and sizes are reduced. The new wave of compact
HD-capable camcorders are very popular, but we expect prices to keep
them from being a big hit this year. You can expect to see entry-level
pocket HD camcorders in Black Friday ads this year for around $79, but
we'd strongly advise against getting one of these cheaper models as the
quality will not be acceptable. Highly-rated units such as those
offered by Flip Video and Sanyo should be popular this year. Standard
MiniDV camcorders will be in the ads starting at around $129 for
name-brand models, and those would be a better choice until name-brand
HD camcorder prices drop.
Digital picture frames hit mainstream a few years ago and it
seemed like every store had at least one in their ad, regardless of if
they were an electronics store or not. Prices on these have fallen
drastically as well. We've posted deals on GottaDeal.com
during the last few months for under $20 for digital frames. In the ads
this year we expect 7" frames for $25 and 10" frames for $50. The
matching digital photo viewer keychains will also be advertised,
probably for as low as $5. Again with these, you get what you pay for.
Video Games
For the first time in several years, video games should be huge
this Black Friday. While there are no new consoles being released, the
combination of price drops on existing consoles along with a great
selection of new games being released should lead to high sales on
Black Friday and for the entire holiday shopping season.
Recently announced price drops for both the Sony Playstation 3
along with the Xbox 360 should help drive sales this year as those who
were initially put off by the higher price tags ($399 or more) have a
chance to get a system that not only plays video games but is a
complete home entertainment hub for $299 or less. While no price drop
is anticipated for the Nintendo Wii, the great selection of new games
should keep it popular for yet another year, however we don't expect to
see the shortages that plagued previous holidays.
Additional Hot Items
As for what will be hot this year, it's always tough to say.
It's likely going to be a combination of the same types of items that
were popular last year - HDTVs, laptops, GPS systems and home items,
particularly kitchen items (appliances, etc...). Video games should be
much stronger this year due to price drops for some of the main
consoles as well as many new highly anticipated games being released
this fall. Computers, including laptops, netbooks and desktops, should
get a boost this year because of the new Windows 7 release as many
consumers will feel the new Windows is a good opportunity to upgrade to
a new model if they've been putting it off.
In the toy genre, there is some buzz on our message boards
about the Leapfrog Zippity. The various Twilight-related toys should be
huge, especially with the new movie coming out in November. Disney is
going to be releasing toys from their popular Wizards of Waverly Place
TV show for the first time, and those are also causing some buzz.
Online Black Friday Deals
We can't stress enough that to get the best deals on Black
Friday or any other day of the year, you have to check online first. At
GottaDeal.com we post hundreds of new online deals each week and our forum
members post even more every day on the message boards. On Black Friday @ GottaDeal.com,
we'll have a continuously updated list of Black Friday ad items that
can be purchased online at Black Friday ad prices. Look for this list
in mid-November. We urge our visitors to order as many ad items as
possible online before leaving the house. It'll save you time, hassle
and space in your trunk.
We do expect online retailers to continue to offer amazing
deals this quarter as well as they compete with the brick and mortar
retailers. Expect big sales and online-only coupons from retailers such
as Amazon.com, Overstock.com, Buy.com, Walmart.com, Dell.com and many, many others.
And to keep track of these deals, just bookmark our home page at GottaDeal.com where
we'll keep you updated on the latest deals throughout the day, every day of the year.
