We're just a couple of weeks away from the release of the "big three" Black Friday ads: Best Buy, Walmart and Target.
But rather than just wait for those ads to be released, savvy shoppers are already starting to figure out some of the hottest Black Friday deals on electronics.
How? By studying ads from the past few years.
It turns out Black Friday electronics deals have not changed much the past three or four years, with the exception of technological updates such as 4KTVs (a few years ago it was LED TVs).
Forbes Magazine, with the help of BestBlackFriday.com, analyzed the deals from the past few years, and said Best Buy, Walmart and Target follow predictable formats.
The deals vary by store, and from year to year, but Forbes says they are remarkably similarevery Thanksgiving.
It says expect:
- $200 - $300 gift cards with a new iPhone
- iPads as low as $229.
- PS4 bundles for $275.
- XBox one bundles for $399.
- 55-inch 4KTVs from $200.
- Chromebooks from $89.
And on Amazon, expect to find:
- Amazon Echo for $79.
- Amazon Echo Dot for $29.
Best Buy tends to have more name brand TVs on sale Thanksgiving night, such as LG, Sony and Samsung.
Target and Walmart often have lower TV prices, but they tend to be Insignia, Element and other second-tier brands.
Will the hot items sell out?
You might be worried about showing up on Thanksgiving night only to find out the iPad or TV you wanted is already sold out.
However, based on the past five years, game consoles and Apple devices rarely sell out in the first hour. You can usually find them later in the evening.
In fact, those "great" Black Friday Xbox and PS4 deals usually get repeated for several days, because those game consoles are no longer high-demand items. Amazon's Echo should not sell out either, as most people who really want one already have one.
It's those coveted doorbuster TVs (where each store gets only 20 or 30 of them) that you will need to line up for. Also, limited-edition models like Nintendo's NES Classic may sell out quickly
Can't wait until November? Read Forbes Magazine's Best Buy predictions here, its Walmart predictions here and its Target predictions here.
That way you don't waste your money.
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