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 4)
outrider said 10:57PM on 2-13-2008
Lawyers already control a third of the government. Can we really expect them not to follow their gut instinct and training when they they get power outside the judiciary? Think about that on election day!
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sharon said 6:29AM on 2-15-2008
why shouldnt amazon NOT pay taxes? Just another way of big business getting away from paying their fair share. And dont tell me they HAVE to pass it on to the consumers. Thats the oldest crock around! Amazon probably, by now, owes millions and millions in taxes, that alone would help offset the ecominic stimulus package.
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nahald said 6:37AM on 2-15-2008
We are only taxed on online purchases in New Jersey if the company maintains a physical presence in the state. That's the only fair way to do it. If this goes through it will affect people in every state. Let New York sucker their people into paying more taxes a different way.
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zeuspei said 7:18AM on 2-15-2008
Sharon, this has NOTHING to do with Amazon paying taxed.. It isn't Amazon that pays the tax, it is you and I (if we live in NY) it is the consumers in NY that have to pay the tax.. read the article!
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YIKES DYKES said 7:26AM on 2-15-2008
SPITZER NEEDS TO BE VOTED OUT OF OFFICE. THIS ISN'T PROGRESSIVE THINKING,,,IT'S INSANITY AND GREED BY ANOTHER PUBLIC OFFICIAL.
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charlie said 8:37AM on 2-15-2008
give the state goverment more money to waste here in maine we pay for 12 year olds bith control and give them out in middle school
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Paul said 8:09AM on 2-15-2008
Well nobody cared when these states went after tabbacco, because they didn't smoke. Here you go!
It's a big game of how much can we get away with.
Here in MA they used a consumer protection law suit to get the names of people who used E-Smokes.
Then used that info to sent tax bills to the same people who were "decieved". Don't steal the Govt hates competion. Sooner or later they will get to something you DO care about.
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Bug said 8:16AM on 2-15-2008
If Amazon went in and put a store in every state, like Sears or JC Penny's then everyone where a physical store is located would have to pay the taxes, NOT Amazon.
All Amazon would be doing is the same thing every other business does, collect the taxes from the people and turn around and send the money WE sent them to the government on our behalf.
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joy said 8:33AM on 2-15-2008
I live in NY and because of the high sales taxes (along with high property taxes, and cost of living here) use online merchants for most of my shopping. Items are already marked up in the stores, and then we have to pay tax on top of it. Money doesn't go as far in NY. The governor has had many "insane" ideas to raise revenue (let illegal imigrants get drivers licenses). Lets hope Amazon holds its ground!
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drdarby said 9:41PM on 2-15-2008
Sharon that is a very stupid comment. If this was only Saturday night live! They are talking sales taxes and these are always paid by the customer. You are either not reading the article or you are a ignorant liberal on the taxpayer tit.
Amazon pays more than it's fair share of taxes and shareholders pay double taxation. Get fact before you sprew off with your mouth like you are spitting out cum from your latest BJ
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dinty said 9:15AM on 2-15-2008
New York State citizens now pay about 48 per cent more in taxes than the national average, thanks to the morons who vote in people like Spitzer.
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hlsjogren said 8:58AM on 2-15-2008
IF NY WOULD LEAGLIZE GAMBLING AND HAVE CASINOS WE HAVE ALL THE MONEY FROM TAXES THERE WOULD NO STATE TAXES JUST LIKE NAVADA. WE ARE TAXED TO DEATH. GOVERMENT GIVE UP YOUR BIG, OFF THE CHART RAISES. SO, WE, YOUR PEE-ONS CAN HAVE A WEEKEND OFF WITH OUR FAMILY INSTEAD OF WORKING TO PAY FOR OUR FOOD,HEATING FUEL, AND GAS FOR THE CAR TO GET US TO WORK. WE NEED A BREAK. NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Ron Haase said 9:09AM on 2-15-2008
Amazon DOES pay its fair share of taxes on ALL its retail sales in its own state. If Amazon collected taxes in New York YOU the buyer would pay them just like you do now at any other store in your state.
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Bquiverful said 9:12AM on 2-15-2008
Amazon DOES pay its fair share of taxes on ALL its retail sales in
its own state. If Amazon collected taxes in New York YOU the buyer
would pay them just like you do now at any other store in your state.
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gus gus said 9:22AM on 2-15-2008
So, if your rich and can afford a computer, you can make your purchases on-line and save on the tax but if your part of the working poor who can't afford the internet, you have to go to a store and buy the same thing and pay sales tax to boot. Does that really seem fair??
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Aggie said 9:23AM on 2-15-2008
I do hope Amazon wins this one. Tell, our governor to collect his tax money fron the Oneida Indians and their TAX FREE casino and all their other businesses they run.
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Dworply said 9:30AM on 2-15-2008
It's not amazon who pays the tax you tards, it's the consumer.
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Dworply said 9:34AM on 2-15-2008
I have to wonder about anyone who supports any new tax. Everything costs too much for the average working person as it is, taxes generally don't go away when short sighted people support them. We shouldn't be incouraging waistful government to grow it's beuoracracy, we should be holding them accountable for how they are spending our current money and force them into being more efficient. Why put additional tax burdens on the consumer?
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FOXYLYNX said 9:42AM on 2-15-2008
I LIVE IN NY AND THE SALES TAX IS 8.25% MY PROPERTY TAXES ARE 7000.00/YEAR FOR A HOME WORTH ABOUT 235,000 AND MY HEATING BILLS ARE HIGH, GAS HERE IS STILL 3.21/GAL AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON. SOON I WILL SELL THIS PLACE AND MOVE OUT OF NY - JUST LIKE MOST OF MY FRIENDS HAVE. THEY TAX YOU TO DEATH AND GIVE YOU LESS AND LESS AND LESS. WHEN THEY CUT TAXES THE LOCAL GOVERMNET JUST RAISES THEIRS.
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Dan from NY said 10:32AM on 2-15-2008
Mr Spitzer is spending more money than he can generate from basic taxes. This year he intends to sell "tax stamps" to illegal drug dealers. If you buy crack or heroin as the "consumer" you best make sure there is a NY tax stamp on it. Yea - sure.
Last year Spitzer included in his budget $300M from Indian sales of cigarettes, however he had no means of collecting that money, so last years budget was short that $300M. Oh, by the way he included $400M this year and has no means to collect.
Also Spitzer wants to sell the NYS lottery to investment groups. He will get a huge one shot cash influx, but for the next 40 years our children and grandchildren will not see any income from the lottery.
Someone mentioned casinos. We allow the native american Indians to run the casinos. The state income is ONLY 25% of the profits from the slots, nothing from table games, etc. In Buffalo the Indians are going to build a $330M hotel/casino. Guess what, they dont pay any property tax on that facility. If NY were to legalize gambling and let The Donald build that facility it would go on the tax roll. Spend a night at the hotel or eat a meal in the restaurant - no sales tax. In Buffalo the sales tax is 8.75% and the room tax is 13.75%. What a loss of income for the state and local governments. If only the casinos were not built on sovereigh land.
And people wonder why companies are moving out of the state. Soon the only peopl eworking will be public sector.
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