Traditionalists might balk, but the holiday shopping season is already underway. Skeptical? Head to your local department store and you'll be inundated by Christmas trees and ornaments. Bargain hunters, though, know that the real deals are more than a month away.
Black Friday, traditionally, is when retailers truly slash prices. Early birds can save hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars off of their holiday bills. Switched.com checked with a few elves, who gave a sneak peek at what you can expect deal-wise this year.
Blu-ray Players and Movies: Blu-ray is shaping up to be the biggest door buster of this year's Black Friday. de Grandpre expects at least one retailer will offer a Blu-ray player for just $49. Look for bargains on Blu-ray films as well, with last year's hit titles (such as "Iron Man") to fall as low as $5.
Laptops: With the proliferation of Netbooks this year, it's never been easier to find affordable portable computing, but Dan de Grandpre, CEO of DealNews.com says it will get even cheaper on Black Friday. Look for well-equipped Netbooks to sell for $199 – and basic 15" laptops to go for as little as $249.
HDTVs (Pretty big): The holidays are typically the best time to buy a new TV – and Black Friday is the time to do it. If you're looking for a normal sized set, you're in luck. Piper Jaffrey analyst Mitch Kaiser says he expects to see 32-inch LCD sets for as low as $299. GottaDeal.com is estimating 37-inch plasma and LCD sets will fall to $399 or less.
HDTVs (Really big): Need something bigger? How about a 46-47 inch LCD set for $599 – a 25 percent savings? Or a 52-inch LCD for $999? Dealnews says you can expect both. Plasma deals will be a little harder to come by, but a 50-inch set should run roughly $899.
HD Camcorders: You've wanted to shoot your child's school play in HD for a while, but haven't been able to spring for the pricey camcorder. This might be the year. Low-end, flash-based 720p models could drop as low as $60 (though you won't be able to zoom with those). Expect a high quality 1080p HD camcorder for $349.
GPS: While navigation systems have dramatically expanded their reach this year – even making it onto the iPhone – there's still a market for car-based systems. Dealnews predicts you'll be able to find a no-name entry-level system for $49, while a Garmin or Tom-Tom brand will be as low as $69.
Digital Picture Frames: Showcasing your digital pictures consistently gets cheaper. This year, skip the 7-inch screens and focus on the 8- or 9-inch ones, which should be available on Black Friday for as little as $30.
Monitors: Computer monitors might not be the sexiest of gifts, but they're usually welcomed with open arms – and they'll be cheap this year. Name brand 22-inch LCD models may go for as low as $99, while 24-inch models will drop below $150.
Memory: Don't know anyone who needs a monitor? External hard drives are always popular, since they're an easy way to back-up data. Dealnews expects a 1TB drive to fall as low as $49 this year. Gottadeal is looking for 8GB flash drives to hit $15.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
microbioguy said 3:00PM on 2-12-2008
wow terra, thanks for proving my point about the intelligences that work at Best Buy. Good grief! Spell check is even built into the comment box!
Best Buy is suffering from some serious management issues and will go down for it if they don't turn things around.
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steve said 1:57AM on 2-14-2008
Well Terra's grammer skills might be questionable but she is right. We don't work on commission. We are strictly hourly. Also she is right. Our Geek Squad personnel, are genuine people. They do laugh at the amount of porn they do find, but they don't steal it. I think it is pathetic to judge BestBuy by everyone working there. With an average of 50 people per store you are bound to have a few bad ones in there. It would be like us judging every customer by the few bad ones.
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Paul Ahkolik said 3:48PM on 3-12-2009
Since nothing in Terra's post is indicative of his/her gender, I'm curious as to how you determined Terra is a female.
Ralf Smola said 1:22AM on 3-13-2008
Ok you all get 100% for even replying with remarks about this incident. Do any of you idiots have a life? Do you sit there in front of your chinese pc's all day doing this kind of crap?
If you are concerned about anything Best Buy does at all, it means you are more than likely amongst the percentage of americans (or illegals) who collect welfare or some sort of government cheese. Get a life for Shits sake, and go to work.
Ralf Smola
http://vert.synchro.net
contact me here if you have the balls!
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Beth said 2:56PM on 3-12-2009
I have only great things to say about Geek Squad, I had them come to my house and they were professional, courteous and fast. I DO agree however with the other person that said Who takes a shower with a strange man in their house?? I mean honestly people, it didn't matter where he worked he was a sicko that took advantage of his postion. Maybe next time the victim will be a little more careful.
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herb said 5:36PM on 3-12-2009
gentlemen, stop blaming the perv Geek and calling the woman stupid for taking a shower. What you have not realized is that the whole show was planned by them both (who must known each other) to sue Best Buy for millions of dollars and divide it betwen them two.
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Harvey said 6:42AM on 4-19-2007
Oh? So now we blame the victim? Innuendo is as shameful as the original perversity! Shame on you, Terrence O'Brien
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Michael said 4:07PM on 5-03-2007
I was once thrown out of a Best Buy store in VA. , when I tried to purchase a $14.99 DVD with $15 worth of 'rewards points'. I was told I couldn't do that, and I'd have to buy something else. I told them, 'it's a penny, keep it' I was told they couldn't do that. So, when I commented that such a system was silly, I was summarily thrown out of the store. Over a penny. That I tried to give them. I don't know when we stopped being customers, and became 'consumers'. but we need to send a clear message to big business as to who is really in control.
Regardless of the woman's questionable timing, I hope she puts a solid dent in their pocketbook.
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TheSweetness369 said 6:20PM on 11-29-2007
Well obviously if the "victim" hadn't decided to take a shower with a STRANGER whom she has NEVER MET roaming around her house she wouldn't have had the problem in the first place. (Neither would she be getting rich off of the scandal, which makes you wonder if she was asking for it.) She's lucky he's only like every other guy on the planet and couldn't resist the tempatation...and not to steal her life away from her. Yes, the man did do wrong, but the girl, how stupid can she be?
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junior_one_555 said 11:13AM on 1-16-2008
hold up!! was the door open????? how did he slither in?? and i bet if he wouldve waited a little longer she probably wouldve came out walked around the house with her towel and droped it on him.lol. played a role like "oops" i mean come on*^% shes a fool!.
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Veronica said 2:43PM on 1-17-2008
What a stupid person. Who decides to take a shower with a STRANGE MAN in her house. How dumb and irresponsible. She is lucky he didn't decide to do other things to her. Maybe she was asking to be seen or worse. dumb a**
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wifey said 2:48PM on 1-17-2008
Maybe she had to go to work or something but most people lock the bathroom door!
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carla said 3:02PM on 1-17-2008
Umm yeah she is stupid for taking a shower with the jackass in the house..what a moron..no one with half a brain takes a shower with a strange man in the house...BUT saying that..he had no right going in there either. He is an idiotic jackass.
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myty said 4:53PM on 1-17-2008
sounds like it was all"set up" to make the news and try to make a name for themselves!!!!!! IDIOTS!!!!!!!
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Fred Gramcko said 6:20PM on 1-17-2008
Do most people really think that a Geek Squad person is not going to raid your hard-drive and then sell your ID information? Taking Pix of someone in the shower should be the least of that womans worries.
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Anthony said 6:29PM on 1-17-2008
Yo! If I was in that situation, I would wait until the guy leaves my house before I even think of taking a shower. We don't know what kind of perverts are lurking around and who they really are.
You, Hao Kuo Chi, need to stop being a pervert and start following Jesus Christ. Or one day, you will spend eternity in Hell for being immoral (Revelation 21:8).
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Tom said 6:34PM on 1-17-2008
So "sweetness" thinks every guy on the planet would have tried to sneak a peek. Such generalizations make me wonder where you came from and how you were qualified to make that accusation. I believe some men would have been tempted but resisted, some would have been afraid they might get caught and for some the idea of trying to sneak a peek would have been repugnant. Tom
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Jerome Thomas said 6:46PM on 1-17-2008
I believe Best Buy sales persons are paid on a "commission only" basis. If so, the consumer must expect to be pressured, mislead, sold up and hustled. They operate like car dealers, and will do what produces the most profit, ethics and fairness be damned. Sure, you can find bargains. But I had rather pay a little more from a legitimate, full-line dealer - where I always have a better after-purchase relationship if problems arise.
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Donald DeCarlucci said 8:35PM on 1-17-2008
Typical of the new American; no common sense. Come to think of it my mother always taught me to take a shower when a repairman comes over. Particularly if it's a plumber working on the bathroom fixtures. Obviously the lady has an IQ of the retarded and the guy has an even less IQ. On the other hand I do think Best Buy has a criteria for it's employees to have no integrity, ethics or moral values.
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Danielle said 12:39AM on 1-18-2008
I don't think Best Buy is at all responsible for this man's personal behaviors and tastes.
I also think she's an absolute moron to have done that. It makes me wonder what kind of person she is. Can we really call Chi the only pervert in this sad tale?
How can we hold a COMPANY responsible for one person, in the personal home of a customer, who acts of his own accord and not through company orders.
And if you people have such a PROBLEM with Best Buy, why do you shop there? The woman and Chi aren't the only morons here as far as I'm concerened.
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