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)
dwr50 said 11:09AM on 12-06-2008
"ISPs would then turn that money over to the record industry"
What stupid ISP would become a collection agent for Warner Music Group ? It's clear that Warner just want's people to GIVE them money... don't we all. (lol)
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sgentilejr said 4:51PM on 12-06-2008
The music industry has learned that their efforts to file suit against people who download music they believe they should be paid for are costing the music industry far more money than they are recovering from those people who have been taken to court. Their lawyer fees and expert witness fess are killing them so not they want to offer downloading as a small addon fee. Better settle for a little, rather than get nothing is their new approach.
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John said 6:09PM on 12-06-2008
Wow they make is sound oh soooo good. And it might be a good deal for the educational establishments. But there is an obvious exclusion of any mention of the solo internet user. Now if the ISPs sign on to this does it cover every user, or will there be caveats. or will this be one of those socialist set ups where all pay for the few.
Also this non-profit company to operate their new plan. When has any corporation ever let anything live long that was not generating a profit. Also there is no mention to fee schedule or that what may start out as a good deal will remain so after someon figures out that there is mooney to be made. The people in charge of the non-profit might discover a way to fatten their paychecks through fee increases.
Now this may actuually be a good deal, but an industry that has a long history of ripping off everyone from artists to fans, is not the one who should be trusted let alone be the overseer of such an operation. They have hired a slick internet type to sell and package this. And like all sales persons he is eyeing his commision over telling the downside. Beware as the fox is trying to get the position of guarding the hen house
oh yeah Merry Christmas everyone
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xalaska said 9:20PM on 12-06-2008
I wonder what type of market research WB has done. Are the consumers being targeted, (college students), currently purchasing songs online? If so, how many songs do they purchase per month?
What will the 'tax' be? At say $3 per month, the music label is betting that the consumer currently purchases less than 3 songs per month, or they will be losing money. If the label gives up unlimited downloads for $3 per month, the recording artist loses out. It would not make sense to sign to this label. If WB is attempting to make up for losses through internet piracy, they need to implement the current technology that exists for eliminating piracy altogether. There has to me more to this story that meets the eye. Or, there is much less business sense at WB than meets the eye. I am guessing that it is a combination of the two. For those who wonder why the music industry is losing money, even with record numbers of consumers...just look at the price of their product. The price per single ($.99) is actually less than what is was 30 years ago ($2.25 for a 45 with 2 songs).
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