While there are a few retailers out there, like Nordstrom's, that follow the "one holiday at a time" rule, the majority of stores, with tons of holiday-shopping fever, will start playing Christmas tunes rather soon (if they haven't already). So even though it is barely Halloween and there is still more than a month until Black Friday, the big sale announcements are rapidly approaching and in a few cases, some circulars -- like hardware store chain Harbor Freight's -- have already been leaked.
As reported by Daily Finance, interest in Black Friday may be waning. According to Accenture's holiday shopping survey, out of the 500 consumers polled, 57% plan to wait and shop later in the season.
But for those who do plan to head to the stores on Black Friday, ConsumerSearch editors have analyzed the market trends and hot product categories to come up with some of their expert predictions on what the best deals (and duds) will be for this year's post-Turkey shopping spectacular.
Deals on TVs
It's not much of a secret that 2011 has been an absolutely awful year for TV sales. There's a lot of unsold inventory around, so, according to our electronics editor, Carol Laron, it's safe to assume that some pretty tempting deals are in the offing for Black Friday. High-end TVs usually see only modest discounting, and that's not too likely to change this year, but mid-level performers, especially 3D models, may see some significant price cuts -- some are saying as much as 50 percent -- or be bundled with attractive and useful extras such as 3D glasses and 3D Blu-ray players at their lowest prices to date.
As far as budget shoppers looking to get as much TV for as little money as possible, lots of deals will be found. Last year, Target set the mark with a 40-inch Westinghouse LCD TV at $300. This year, that kind of pricing should be more commonplace, with even top-tier makers like Samsung, LG or Sony getting into the action, albeit with sets that are light on features and maybe at the bottom of those maker's performance spectrum. To see which televisions get the highest marks, see our reports on the best.
Finally, that elusive sub-$50 Blu-ray player will finally be found -- and likely be commonplace -- on Black Friday. More interestingly, Laron expects some more capable models, with 3D compatibility and robust network streaming, to be offered at not too much more, perhaps $75 or so.
Kitchen and home bargains
Home and garden editor, Davida Hogan, foresees sales on small kitchen appliances, auch as slow cookers and blenders. While these items won't be as deeply discounted as major electronics, about $10-20 will be the typical savings at big box retailers such as Target and Walmart. Around the rest of the home, Hogan predicts that bagless upright vacuum cleaners will also be discounted. Consumers should proceed with caution no matter what house and home item they are looking to purchase on Black Friday since many of these items are on-sale at other points in the year. If you're looking for a vacuum, it's better to buy one that's suited to your needs not just one that's a good price.
The inside scope on digital cameras
According to our consumer electronics editor, Molly McLaughlin, there will be deals on digital cameras this Black Friday, but she warns shoppers to examine the product thoroughly. If the last few holiday seasons are any indication, only the most basic (and poorly-reviewed) cameras will show up in store circulars - and average savings will only be about $10-$20 less than the regular retail price. Luckily, there are affordable digital cameras that are always a good value. Check out our report.
Tablet sales on fire
In terms of tablet computers, Laron predicts that after the recent launch of the Kindle Fire for $199, the game has changed. He sees Black Friday door buster deals on HTC Flyer and other similarly capable Android tablets as low as $199 or even less to stay competitive with the Fire. Discounts under $100 are also a possibility, but these low rates will be on minimally capable tablets. As for the big players, like the iPad2, there will be little in terms of discounts.
BlackFridaySales.com announced their Black Friday 2011 predictions for online shopping with total sales to increase by over 24% from 2010 earlier today. According to comScore, Black Friday shoppers spent $648 million online in 2010 which means they are expecting over $800 million for Black Friday 2011.
Online shopping has definitely made life easier for everyone. Not only does it save the hassle of visiting retail stores and risking exposure to Black Friday injuries but also preserves your privacy for buying personal items like acne treatment and anything that comes wrapped in a brown box.
However, with a global economic meltdown looming (it’s actually already here but everyone is in denial), unemployment at high levels and access to credit stricter than ever before, will Black Friday 2011 be all it’s cracked up to be? The new Apple iPhone 4s has great reviews but maybe if they called it Apple iPhone 5 it would sell another trillion units. Who knows for sure.
Black Friday is the mother of all measurements for retailers forecasting holiday and year-end sales but has America gone a little crazy with their spending when teachers barely get paid enough to live, many families are one hospital visit away from bankruptcy and Congress members cannot agree on anything. It’s unrealistic to think of this as a perfect world but maybe one day someone will create a "give to charity" day where people get just as excited about helping others as they do for a new pair of shoes.
Thanksgiving is for family and a day we all should cherish however it seems that too is now changing and becoming pre-occupied with "early" Black Friday sales. There is no doubt everyone has some family issues and once the turkey is gone it’s easy to wish a store was open, but really, do we need more activities that require a credit card to have fun?
In roughly 10 weeks, Americans will crowd into retail stores looking for 'Black Friday' bargains on everything from appliances to apparel.
Retailers traditionally offer deep discounts on the day after Thanksgiving (Nov. 25), better known as Black Friday, the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season.
The discount prices are often available for one day only -- and may include restrictions on time and supply. Discount hunters also have to contend with the frenzied atmosphere of Black Friday which some shoppers view as a day of combat.
But here at TVPredictions.com, we believe in keeping our readers ahead of the game with forecasts and analysis that tell you what will happen before it actually does.
So with that in mind, here are six predictions on discounts you will see on TV-related items this Black Friday -- and how retailers and TV makers will market the event to consumers.
1. LCD Prices Will Be The Lowest Ever
Recent studies have shown that LCD TV shipments have reached their lowest level in years. Due to the sluggish economy and overflowing inventory already at retail, LCD TV makers have concluded that set sales will be flat for some time.
Consequently, you can expect LCD makers to offer some deep discounts on LCD HDTVs during the 2011 holiday shopping season in an effort to clear out the current inventory and put the industry in position to have a strong 2012.
How deep will be those discounts?
I think you will see name-brand 40-inch LCD HDTVs available for $299;
42-inch LCD HDTVs will be sold for under $400 and 47-inch sets will go for under $500. Moving up the ladder, larger-screen 3D LCD and LED HDTVs will be discounted by up to 50 percent and they will come in attractive bundles (free 3D goggles included with some sales; 3D movies included as well.)
2. 3D TV Prices Will Drop Like a Rock
I won't bore you (again) with my thoughts on why 3D TV sales have not taken off. Let's just acknowledge that they haven't and move on, okay? Okay. So what will 3D TV makers do to get Black Friday shoppers excited about buying 3D sets? Slash prices. Yes, you'll see current model 3D TVs discounted by 25-35 percent and the offer will include such bundled items as a free extra pair of 3D goggles.
Like the LCD makers, 3D TV companies need to clear out some inventory so they can concentrate on selling new models in 2012, likely Smart TVs rather than 3D sets. So I think you'll see 55-inch name-brand 3D LED/LCD HDTVs available for as little as $1,299 (some now cost closer to $2,000.)
3. Some Retail Stores Will Kick Off Black Friday Early
Like last year, you'll see some retail stores, such as Target and Best Buy, launch some early 'Black Friday' sales in October and early November. The idea is to get consumers in the shopping mood before the full-scale Black Friday on the day after Thanksgiving.
4. Plasma 720p HDTVs Will Be the Best Bargains
Although TV makers now manufacture 1080p sets almost exclusively, there are still plenty of 720p sets sitting on shelves at retail -- and the warehouse shelves of ecommerce web sites. The TV companies would like to get these sets out of the market once and for all (the 720p Plasmas are priced cheaper) so expect some great deals on 720p Plasma sets. For instance, 42-inch 720p Plasma sets will likely be available for under $300 while some larger screen sets will carry 40-50 percent discounts.
5. There Will Be Big Discounts on Network Blu-ray Players
CE companies are anxious to get consumers to buy the new 'Smart TV' Blu-ray players which enable users to access streaming services such as Netflix over home networks. The Network Blu-ray player brings in more revenue to the CE company than the traditional Blu-ray player because the company can strike partnership deals with firms such as Netflix.
However, many Americans are still reluctant to buy the Network Blu-ray players because they seem too confusing or technically imposing. Consequently, I predict that CE companies will offer some network Blu-ray players for as little as $69 this Black Friday and perhaps lower. At those prices, reluctant consumers will be more likely to take a chance.
The no-frills Blu-ray player will also be had for under $50 and I predict that some enterprising retailer will sell one for $39.
6. Online Sites Will Get More Aggressive in Pricing
For several years, brick-and-mortar retailers had Black Friday while ecommerce sites had Cyber Monday, the online Black Friday equivalent that takes place three days later. There wasn't too much competition between the two in terms of setting prices and comparison marketing.
However, the tough times have changed everything. Look for ecommerce sites such as Amazon to start slashing prices on TV-related items (and other products) this month and even more so in October. In fact, we're already seeing some evidence of that at Amazon where many TVs are now being priced for 40 percent off the list price.
The online sites, which have increased their holiday revenue every year over the last 10 years or so, want consumers to think of buying online first. So they will try to get them early with attractive offerings before the brick-and-mortar retailers even roll out their first Sunday circular.
Full HD TVs also known as 1080p TVs are have definitely arrived in the mainstream. While we still will see most bargain Black Friday TV deals feature HD Ready (720p) TVs, we will see much more 1080p TV deals compared to last year.
Last Black Friday the $198 32-inch Emerson HDTV from Walmart was the best bargain Black Friday TV deal. This was a 720p TV with 60Hz. The sweet spot for full HD TVs is a size around 40-inch. The best full HD TV deal on Black Friday 2010 was from Target. They offered the 40-inch Westinghouse VR4085DF 1080p HDTV for $298.
$298 is the base mark you should keep in mind when looking for 1080p HDTV deals. At these low prices of course you just get a TV without all the bells and whistles that more expensive TVs offer today including Internet and 3D.
1080p HDTVs also just make sense if you have a full HD media source like a Sony PS3, Blu-ray player or full HD TV service.
Because many consumers still do not need full HD, the most Black Friday TV deals feature still 720p TVs. The currently bestselling TV on Amazon is also a 720p Television. The Panasonic VIERA TC-L32C3 32-inch 720p HDTV sells for $313.72.
I predict that we will see several 40-inch 1080p HDTV priced under $350 this year. The $298 Target 1080p deal was the exception last year. Most 1080p 40-inch TVs sold for around $400.
Its time when all minds are set to think - What Prices to expect this year Black Friday. What Products will be having lowest prices of the year and off-course who is going to offer their favorite products.
So TheBlackFriday.com's extensive research and years of experience will answer all this. So your wait is over and here is TheBlackFriday.com's early Predictions For Black Friday 2011.
- Mini Laptops Starting @ $99
- 42-inch LCDs Starting @ $299
Black Friday Predictions for Mini Notebooks / Laptops
- Mini Notebooks, 8.9-inch to 10.1 display, 1GB RAM, Wi-Fi from $99.00
- Intel Core i3, 14.1-inch Display, 4GB RAM, 320GB, BluRay, Wi-Fi for $399.00
- Intel Core i3, 15.4-in WXGA, 4GB RAM, 500GB, DVD Burner for $299.99
- Intel Core2 Duo, 14.1-inch Display, 4GBRAM, 320GB, DVD Burner for $299.99
- Core i7, 8GB RAM, 750GB, 15.6-inch, Blu-ray, 1GB Video card for $699.99
Black Friday Predictions for Desktops
- Desktop w/ AMD Athlon Dual-Core, 4GB RAM, DVD Burner $159.99
- Desktop PC w/Intel Core i3, 4GB RAM, 500GB, DVD Burner for $299.99
- Intel Core 2 Quad, 6GB RAM, 1TB, DVD Burner for $429.00
Black Friday Predictions for LCD HDTVs / LED HDTV
- 42-inch LCD HDTV for $300
- 47-inch LCD HDTV for $399
- 55-inch LCD HDTV for $529
- LED 32-inch 1080p LCD HDTV $199
- LED 37-inch 1080p LCD HDTV $499
- LED 3D 47-inch 1080p LCD HDTV $899
- LED 3D 55-inch 1080p LCD HDTV for $999.99
Black Friday Predictions for GPS
- Nextar GPS Navigator for $39.99
- TomTom GPS for $49.99
- Magellan RoadMate GPS for $49.99
- Garmin Nuvi GPS for $79.99
Black Friday Predictions for MP3 Players
- 4GB MP3 Player for $19.99
- 8GB MP3 Player for $25.99
- iPod touch Starting @ $129.00
Black Friday Predictions for iPhone / Cell Phones
- Apple iPhone 4G for FREE (Service Required)
- HTC Smartphone w/Google's Android for FREE (Service Required)
- Sony 16GB Tablet with Wi-Fi, 9.4-inch Touch Screen Android Honeycomb for $399.00
- HTC ThunderBolt 4G LTE Android Phone + FREE $50 Gift Card for FREE (Service Required)
Black Friday Predictions - Miscellaneous
- Blu-ray Player for $49.99
- 3TB External Hard drive for $59.99
- Nintendo Wii for $99.99
- Sony PlayStation 3 for $199
- Microsoft Xbox 360 for $199.99
Sunrise's Sawgrass Mills is planning to offer 24 hours of non-stop shopping to kick off the Black Friday shopping season.
The mall said Tuesday it will open its doors from 10 p.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 24, through 10 p.m. Nov. 25, to give shoppers a head start on exclusive deals and bargains.
"This is a major first for Sawgrass Mills and it is a great way to kick off the holiday season," said Joellyn Fellmeth, director of marketing and business development in a statement. She said stores will be open two more hours compared to last Thanksgiving to give retailers and shoppers more opportunity.
Last year Sawgrass opened from midnight Thanksgiving through 9:30 p.m. the following day.
It was the first South Florida mall to kick off the tradition of a midnight Thanksgiving opening.
The mall's previous Thanksgiving midnight openings have drawn throngs of South Floridians looking to get first dibs on sales and promotions – some offered for a limited time only.
Last year an estimated 30,000 Black Friday diehards waited in lines for the midnight opening.
For a nominal fee, shoppers laden with holiday purchases will be able to take advantage of a new shopping bag storage and shipping service launched this year. They can either store their packages at the mall while shopping or have them sent to their home, hotel or airport.
Shoppers not wanting to hassle with finding their own parking space can also take advantage of valet services during the holiday season, mall officials said.
Fifteen minutes after the midnight Thanksgiving opening last year, the mall's 12,000 parking spaces were completely full.
Located at 12801 W. Sunrise Blvd., the shopping, dining and entertainment complex has more than 350 name-brand outlet and off-price retailers, two food courts and six full-service restaurants among other amenities.