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 1)
Monty Python 1975 said 9:18AM on 7-16-2008
You don't have to check your email for SCAMS, just watch TV.
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Ron Humphreys said 9:34AM on 7-16-2008
You can also fight back. Many ligitimate businesses (Paypal is one) want to see the phishing e-mails so they can investigate and shut the bogus sites down. You need only contact the real business via internet, or phone and they will give you their investigative division that looks into and tracks down these thieves. Example: if you get a phishing e-mail claiming to be Paypal you forward the e-mail to spoof@paypal.com. They investigate all such e-mails. If you get one impersonating the IRS, you can forward it to phishing@irs.gov, and that will get the feds on them. Fight back, and help get these thieves. One more tip that I got from Paypal: if you put your mouse cursor over the link in an e-mail, WITHOUT clicking on it, a web address pops up at the bottom of the screen. If that address is different than the one in the link, then it is a phishing e-mail and you should NOT click on the link.
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Debbie said 11:23AM on 7-16-2008
I get these emails all the time, what i started doing is forwarding the one email scam to the other persons emal scam..the email showing on the "from" line isn't the actual email it came from, you can get it by clicking on "show details" and then i use that. when i started doing that, i've been getting less and less scam mail.
deb
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ScamVictimsUnited.com said 8:20PM on 7-16-2008
Education about these, and other scams, is the key to fighting them.
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Nichole said 10:13AM on 7-16-2008
Don't get fooled by internet dating scams. Even though you may believe that the person you are interested in is in one country, they are probably in another. Look for discriptions of people who have vague discriptions and look for hints in spelling and in what they like. Example, we call the United State, "The States", in Africa they call their states "the State". Most internet dating scams are coming out of Africa and Australia. They usually have some poor sob story that they lost their family and they are the only ones left. They usually are in some kind of construction and own the business. In the beginning they are doing well in their business, towards the end they are losing money. They are very quick to profess their love for you and then start asking favors and maybe even money. Beware.
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Dewarren Smith said 10:31AM on 7-16-2008
Whats sad is that some companies profit off these scams. Western Union for example they make millions of people falling for these scams. I'm surprised that the government doesn't regulate them more to at least seriously warn their customers. I knew an old lady that got ripped off for over a 100 grand. Now thats sad :(
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mitchell hirsch said 11:46AM on 7-16-2008
one more. a credit card co. , maybe from a credit card you own, invites you to pay off your bill with a balanse transfer with a "low introductory rate of 0% for 6 months.
however, the transaction fee is usually 3%, and recently no max. so you end up paying 6% anuual for the "free" transfer.
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David said 12:24PM on 7-16-2008
I have find out the hard way as to the scams posted on the dating sites , somehow they know that you are new and soon after you start getting mail from this very young people wanting your email add. and also giving you theirs ,to exchange photos so that you can see how pretty they are , and hook you with lust . and yes they are not from this country .. so for you lonely guys beware ..
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PEGGY SCOTT said 12:27PM on 7-16-2008
I GET AT LEAST ONE OF THE NIGERIAN LETTERS A MONTH. I FORWARD THEM ON TO THE F.B.I. PEGGY
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joe said 12:55PM on 7-16-2008
It must make the president of Nigeria proud to know what his country is now famous for. When Nigeria is mentioned most people immediately think of cheaters, scammers and internet thieves.
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linda said 1:17PM on 7-16-2008
SOMETHING ELSE TO WATCH OUT FOR........RELAY CALLS......THEY GET YOUR NAME OFF THE ADVERTIZING YOU DO IN THE NEWSPAPER WHERE YOU R AD IS POSTED ON LINE, THEY CALL YOU AND TELL YOU THEY WILL SEND YOU THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY, THEY WILL SEND IT AS A MONEY ORDER SO IT IS MORE THAN YOU GET FOR YOUR SALE ITEM. THEY TELL YOU TO DEPOSIT IT AND THEN SEND THE REST TO THIS OTHER PERSON, WHO IS IN THIS COUNTRY. SO THEN THE CATCH IS YOUR CHECKING ACCOUNT IS SCREWED. THE MONEY ORDER IS FAKE,IT IS SENT IN THE MAIL, LOOKS LIKE PRINTED ONES FROM AN ORIGINAL, NO I DID NOT GET CROOKED. IT WAS JUST NOT COMMON SENSE FOR WHAT THEY WERE ASKING ME TO DO. SO WATCH OUT ABOUT RELAY CALLS......AND IT IS A SHAME, BECAUSE HANDICAPPED PEOPLE USE THIS SERVICE. NO WAY TO TRACE THE CALL. TALKED IT OVER WITH THE POLICE TO KNOW THIS. ALSO SEND MINE TO ATTORNEY GENERALS OFFICE.
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wako said 11:25PM on 7-16-2008
i think you have caps lock on
dawn said 1:03PM on 7-16-2008
HA! Now they are sending scams for renting apts! I replied to rent an apt. that was listed on Craigslist. The man who replied had to move back to AFRICA. Sent me all kinds of info on the house, then wanted me to fed ex him a deposit of 500.00, so I could get the keys and the PAPER HOUsE DOCUMENTS. I am not an idiot. I wonder how many ppl fall for this nonsense, and how come they can't see that it is a scam? Also, they use gmail as their addresses. Unfortunately, I gave my cell number thinking it was a real post. The man called me from two different numbers. So beware!
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Lynne said 2:01PM on 7-16-2008
I get at least 20 of these scams a day, now I forward them to the F.B.I. for their own investigation. I suggest for all internet users who get them to do that...after all, that is their job!
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Sam said 5:47AM on 7-19-2008
when I get a email scam i click reply, change the subject line to Hey I had sex with your mother, she wasnt that great. or some other line like that.
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Kent said 10:23AM on 7-21-2008
The "Nigerian Scam" has operated for at least the past 13 years under successive governments of Nigeria. The scam is commonly referred to as the "Advance Fee Fraud," "Four-One-Nine Fraud," after the relevant section of the Criminal Code of Nigeria, and "The Fax Scam."
The U.S. Secret Service is the investigative authority for the Nigerian Scam.
If you have been victimized by one of these schemes, the Secret Service asks that you forward appropriate written documentation to
The United States Secret Service
Financial Crimes Division
950 H Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20223.
http://www.secretservice.gov
To find the closest field office:
http://www.secretservice.gov/field_offices.shtml
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Kent said 10:25AM on 7-21-2008
Also: Report Phishing to: phishing-report@us-cert.gov
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