Black Friday 2010: Slashing prices like crazy

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  • #593086

    The article below is copied from money.cnn.com. If you are currently looking for electronics (computer, camera, etc.), toys, office supplies, and many other items – now’s the time you can get some really good buys. As “Black Friday” (the day after Thanksgiving) approaches, and on Black Friday itself, you may find some really “vildeh mitzius”. If this thread is approved, I suggest posting requests for bargain info on specic items here (i.e. looking for a sub-$250 netbook), so somebody who may have noticed such an item on sale can reply.

    After two-years of belt tightening, consumers are feeling the urge to splurge on this year’s hottest holiday deals. Retailers eager to lure shoppers in are slashing prices — even before Black Friday.

    Still, questions remain about whether there’s enough pent up demand to help sellers recover from dismal sales.

    The day after Thanksgiving, or Black Friday, is considered to be the unofficial start to the November-December holiday shopping season. Those two months can account for 50% or more of merchants’ profits and sales for the full year.

    Holiday sales are closely watched because they’re a pretty accurate barometer of the health of the economy, since consumer spending fuels more than two-thirds of it.

    Shop-till-you-drop? Not quite: The National Retail Federation estimates 2010 holiday sales will increase 2.3% to $447.1 billion, much improved from last year’s 0.4% uptick and the dismal 3.9% sales decline in 2008.

    Monthly retail sales have increased in four of the past five months and same-store sales, or sales at stores open at least a year, have been on the rise for 14 consecutive months.

    “Consumers have endured two years of economic body blows, but have been slowly picking themselves off the mat since last year, despite the employment woes,” said Craig Johnson, president Customer Growth Partners, a retail consultancy and research firm.

    Marshal Cohen, chief retail analyst with market research firm NPD Group, agreed.

    URL: Wal-Mart’s Black Friday 2010 ad: Electronics top deals

    “More consumers have reconciled with a 10% unemployment rate,” said Cohen. “For the 90% of Americans who still have their jobs, and have weathered the recession, they are not as concerned about their future as they were a year ago.”

    Who is willing to shop a little more freely? Affluent shoppers, men and “Millennials,” or Gen X shoppers, said Candace Corlett, president of retail consulting firm WSL Strategic Retail.

    But that optimism is tempered.

    “Last year marked the beginning of the shrinking gift list,” Cohen said. “If you were a distant relative, you got knocked off the list.” That shortened list hasn’t grown back this year, he said.

    “Consumers are shopping with their brakes on,” WSL’s Corlett said. “They are sticking to stores they can afford and fit their economic situation.”

    To that end, millions of shoppers will head to discounters first for Black Friday.

    Cut prices, and do it first: Merchants are tripping over each other to ensure they have the best and biggest deals — and to be first.

    Wal-Mart (WMT, Fortune 500), the world’s largest retailer, is on a mission to dominate not just Black Friday, but the entire holiday shopping season.

    url: Target trots out $3 appliances on Black Friday

    For consumers, it’s like hitting the jackpot on holiday deals because Wal-Mart’s pricing moves are often matched by its competitors.

    The retailer has already slashed prices on holiday favorites such as toys and electronics and is offering free online shipping on 60,000 holiday items.

    Other retailers have countered by also offering Black Friday-like deals early. Some sellers, such as Toys R Us and Sears (SHLD, Fortune 500), are even opening their stores to bargain hunters on Thanksgiving this year

    “A retailer has to become first in consumers’ mind or they will lose the sale,” Cohen said.

    #712525
    bezalel
    Participant

    “November-December holiday shopping season”

    It looks like the editors at CNN wanted to get the article picked up by YWN.

    #712526
    Helpful
    Member

    Where can one find the black friday specials list ahead of time?

    #712527
    WolfishMusings
    Participant

    Is shopping for bargains on Black Friday “chukas haGoy?” 🙂

    The Wolf

    (Before everyone gets bent out of shape — it’s a joke.)

    #712529

    Helpful-

    The original post contained a couple of URLs (links).

    BlackFriday2010.com

    bfads.net

    (ads include [and are not limited to] walmart, radio shack, target, best buy, kmart, sam’s club, sears, toys r us, big!lots, kohl’s, old navy, costco, jcpenney, lowes, macy’s, staples, dick’s, walgreens, office depot, office max)

    and the usual bargain sites:

    techbargains.com

    deals2buy.com

    and some lesser-know sites:

    cowboom.com (deals2buy mentioned them)

    dansdeals.com (run by a frum person)

    #712530
    TheChevra
    Member

    What metziyas are available on this Friday? How deep are the discounts? Is Black Friday the most deeply discounted day of the year? I heard there is a day in December that is also, perhaps more do, deeply discounted? Are the discounts on Cyber Monday as good as Black Friday?

    #712531

    TheChevra-

    What metziyas are available on this Friday?

    Anything and everything. Use the sites mentioned above, Google, etc.

    How deep are the discounts?

    Depends what you’re buying and where. Staples has had some real in-store bargains in years past to get customers in the door – some items sold for pennies on the dollar.

    Is Black Friday the most deeply discounted day of the year?

    Usually, yes.

    I heard there is a day in December that is also, perhaps more so, deeply discounted?

    Usually not.

    Are the discounts on Cyber Monday as good as Black Friday?

    In years past I’ve found the discounts on Cyber Monday to be not as good as those offered on Black Friday, and they’re also for a far smaller selection of merchandise.

    #712532

    A couple of specials I noticed:

    1) Canon Powershot SD1300 IS 12MP Digital ELPH Camera (Blue) W/ 4 GB Memory, Case, & More

    $129

    Well-rated digital camera, with all peripherals you’ll need (case, memory card, cleaning kit).

    Free shipping, tax in NY.

    Available right now.

    URL – http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=216386090

    2) Toshiba – Satellite Laptop / AMD V-Series Processor / 15.6″ Display / 3GB Memory / 320GB Hard Drive – Black

    $190

    Not great specs, but OK for the average person’s uses.

    Available Friday – shop early, only three per store.

    URL – http://www.bestbuy.com/doorbusters?AID=10474050&PID=2187655&URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bestbuy.com%2Fdoorbusters&ref=39&CJPID=2187655&loc=01

    #712533
    myfriend
    Member

    ICOT:

    Re: the Toshiba laptop —

    “Offer available Friday, in store only, 5-9 a.m.

    Ticket required to purchase this item in store.

    Minimum 3 per store. Limit 1 per customer. No rainchecks.”

    You need to camp out overnight at Best Buy to even have a 10% chance of getting that.

    #712534
    Homeowner
    Member

    myfriend is right. The people who get these deals at Best Buy usually arrive by 8:00 PM Thursday.

    #712535

    About other days that are good shopping days- December 26th- 31st. Yes, the stores will be crazy with people who are returning unwanted gifts but less crazy than today. But also, less deals and less advertising on it… but at the same time, it is the last chance for stores to get a few sales before the year is up. Every year is different, but then, sales throughout december are decent (not like black friday but better than buying it in April) and sometimes less mayhem.

    #712536
    Yanky123
    Member

    woke up early last year. Whole thing is overrated. . . Good Night, Enjoy your sleep.

    #712537
    wanderingchana
    Participant

    Thank you so much – this has been so helpful.

    If I go to Target in a half hour, I can save $50 on a Kitchen Aid mixer.

    If I go to bed instead, I save another $199.99.

    I do love sleep…

    #712538
    apushatayid
    Participant

    Anu mashkimim, vhem mashkimim, anu ratzim, vhem ratzim…..

    I was up at 4am, on the way to pick up a few “deals”, I remembered these words, went to learn instead. I’ll get what I need later.

    #712539

    Get a head start on Chanukah gifts for your kids with these steep sales!

    Amazon’s Famous Black Friday Deals! http://amzn.to/2PCRi1

    http://amzn.to/i09E41 40% off Games!

    #712540
    Homeowner
    Member

    CNBC just reported that someone camped outside Best Buy eight days ago just for some special discount.

    How about next year? Let’s organize the minyanim and catering? 🙂

    #712541
    Ben Levi
    Participant

    http://www.MyHeadcoverings.com is offering 20% off through cyber monday.

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