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)
joseph said 5:39PM on 8-15-2008
come on - couldn't find better stock photos than a 2003 AOL inbox image?
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Samwise said 6:03PM on 8-19-2008
Anyone else read that last line and remember the movie line, "They're coming to get you, Barbara"?
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c. soughers said 2:40PM on 8-16-2008
PAY ATTENTION HERE ~
WE HAVE RECEIVED SEVERAL BOGUS E-MAILS FROM LOCAL BANKING INSTITUTIONS (WITH LOGOS) WHERE WE HAVE NO ACCOUNTS AT ALL ASKING US TO GO TO OTHER SITES AND ANSWER / FILL IN SOME PERSONAL QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR ACCOUNTS. .
ALL WE DO IS PRINT THEM OUT AND TAKE THEM, PERSONALLY, TO THE BANK MANAGERS SO THEY CAN SEE JUST WHAT ALL IS HAPPENING IN THEIR NAME. WE ALSO ASK THEM TO PASS THESE E-MAILS UP THE LINE TO THEIR HIGHER MANAGEMENT.
SURE HOPE THEY DO SO, BUT WHO KNOWS?????
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teresa said 2:46PM on 8-16-2008
These fake bank e-mails have been around for awhile. The most comman are from "Wells Fargo and Bank of America", you can forward them to their fraud departments, all banks have them.
Carolyn said 3:29PM on 8-16-2008
I get similar emails all the time from a source claiming to be Bank of America and I don't bank with them. I hope the manager does something. Also, I place them in my spam so when I get another, I know it is not from the same email address. A good rule of thumb is to never answer ANY personal questions via the internet, or the telephone for that matter.
sharry m said 2:32PM on 8-16-2008
soooo this tells me nothing how do we know if its a fake or we really do have to update our adobe???
how do we spot these bogus emails and what can we do about them???
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Amy said 7:20PM on 8-16-2008
to check if you need an update to the flash player, go to adobe web site by manualy typing in the address into your web browser and check for updates from the site.
I get these emails all the time and depending on thw type of email I either go to the site to check if there is really an update or in the case of banks or paypal I forward the email to them but it doesn't seem to do much good 'cause they tell you thank you we are looking into the problem so they can shut the people down.
david eisele said 2:37PM on 8-16-2008
I have recently received emails claiming to be from CNN. Since I can't remember the last time I was there, knew there was no way they had my email address. Besides, why send me an email in the first place? Well, now I know why, and am glad I just clicked on them as being spam and moved onto the next email.
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Scott said 6:54AM on 8-19-2008
Watch out for ones that say they are from Ebay. If you use ebay alot most likely you will receive emails claiming to be ebay and they do really look like the logos that ebay uses. They will ask you to sign in, but don't do it, that is how they get you sign in information. They may say that someone is using your account or that something you were bidding on has closed, but it is all a scam, ebay will never ask you for your sign in information in an email. If they need updated information for any reason they will notify you through your account informtion when you are all ready signed in my ebay section of ebay. They do really look just like the logos used for ebay. Be careful opening any emails that you don't know who it is from.
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t. vance said 3:35PM on 8-16-2008
So...KILL those found guilty of screwing with peoples lives. Quit messing around with fines, that does nothing, other than having them figure out how to steal more.
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PERRY said 3:41PM on 8-16-2008
First, if it is not your bank then do not answer it. Second, put the pointer over the link and it should show the correct address..www.msn.com..not www.johnspage/msn.com
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JOE said 3:46PM on 8-16-2008
Lets all pitch in to get these crooks behind bars. Any suspicious email should be reported to Spam@UCE.GOV which is the Internet Fraud and Spam Center....
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Deb said 6:23PM on 8-16-2008
Thanks for posting the address to report spam. I win about 5 million dollars a week from various banks & lotteries all fake of course. I would love to get these people in trouble. I once spent a half hour long distance begging my son not to respond to an email that was assuring him that he had won a vast amount of money which I knew was bogus. These people need to be stopped.
Perry said 3:45PM on 8-16-2008
You can usualy see if the address link is fake by putting the pointer over the link..if it says, www.msn.com(or the like) it is a real email..if it says.www.johnspage/msn.com then it is bogus.
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dallas bruhn said 3:51PM on 8-16-2008
I WAS HIT 3 WEEKS AGO. THEY LOCKED MY COUMPUTER. IT COST ME 100.OO , TO GET IT FIXED.
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PERRY said 4:06PM on 8-16-2008
I have been sending emails to spam@uce.gov for years and the result is nothing was done as far as I know. I guess it is on their list of least important with a war going on and the economy in ruins.
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AL said 4:42PM on 8-16-2008
I had a Bank of America offcial looking e-mail, prompting me to log in my user name and password so that I can view and obtain a printed copy of the latest transactions on my account that is now presently available. I had to laugh but to the unknowing, this could result in a phising expedition. Beware.
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hetna said 4:59PM on 8-16-2008
Some people are just too sad...I mean, that is @#$% up! I keep getting emails that say things like "Persephone, I've heard rumors about you"
First of all, thats not my name.
Second, how could you have hear rumors about me if you don't know my real name?!
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Vasiliki said 5:12PM on 8-16-2008
Yeah, same with the fake email from Paypal saying needs to update info..etc but I knew it wasn't real. Paypal doesn't email me asking for information again. So I was thinking of making up something for spammer, put the address of police department and ummm maybe telephone number of the police or something..so they should be arrested! hahah. I thought it would be nice for spammer to get caught and be punished severely as law applies. Not only emails but now through instant messages too many junks someone ought to do something about it.. any idea?
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Chaz said 5:38PM on 8-16-2008
Really punish these phishers to protect the good guys. I mean set an example. Prison time and a financial punishment and others might get the hint to back off.
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