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)
Michael Wright said 10:35PM on 10-23-2008
ANY talking on cell phones in libraries is disruptive and rude. Cell phone nuisances have had their way in the University of Oklahoma library for a decade. They were supposedly "banned" in 2001 but the ban is never enforced. Jerks in the OU library also blast noise from their earphones, eat food, and consume beverages. The crunching of ice and potato chips is a frequent noise disturbance. The library of Norman, Oklahoma, is just as bad.
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Patrick Strong said 8:07PM on 10-27-2008
A guy standing less than a foot behind me in a grocery line answered his cellphone in a loud voice. It startled ( and angered) me so much that I turned around and yelled right into his face, "hey, your phone is ringing!!! Oh, I see you got it already!!!!!" He was embarrassed, I felt silly, and my fellow standees got a huge laugh. I know he will think twice before he answers his phone in someone's ear again....
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Robert said 6:55AM on 10-28-2008
Thanks for bringing up this subject. I drove for Greyhound for 24 years. even though Cell- phones have been a great advantage. Why do people have to talk so load on them. 45 feet behind you 65 MPH road noise and wind noise and you could still understand every word at 3am.
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Andre said 9:15AM on 10-28-2008
I hate it when there is a long line for customer service (ie airline ticket counter) and the agent is waithing for the jerk to stop talking on his/her cell phone so that the jerk can be helped. Meanwhile, the others in line miss appointments, connections, etc,
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farrah said 1:56PM on 10-28-2008
I hate it when people are walking down the side walk and dont watch where they are going because they are on the cell phone being loud
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