Everyone knows annual Black Friday sales are the best time to capture the year’s hottest deals. Unfortunately, nobody really knows how good the savings will be until the week before. How, then, is anyone supposed to budget and prepare for this major shopping holiday if they’re in the dark about what to expect? If you’re hoping to catch some killer savings on Black Friday this year, look no further than Komando.com. By recognizing retailer patterns, manufacturer behaviors and previous years’ deals, we’ve put together a guide on the top products you should hold off on buying until after you’ve finished your Thanksgiving dinner. Here’s our top 5 predictions for Black Friday sales this year:
Predicting the best deals for Black Friday
Black Friday deals can be unpredictable, so we’re looking at retailer behavior and deals from previous years to paint a better picture of what to expect. Kristin McGrath, editor and shopping expert at BlackFriday.com, has analyzed the best deals from stores across the web and with her help, we’ve put together a guide on the top product categories worth waiting for this Black Friday. Though it might be tempting to bite at some of the sales today, your wallet will thank you when these popular products drop in price on the day after Thanksgiving.
During Prime Day, the Echo smart speaker dropped below $50 for the first time and similar products saw discounts of up to $30. Even the Ring doorbell system fell to $69, which is lower than the previous year’s Black Friday deal. If you’ve been waiting on outfitting your home with Alexa, Black Friday might be the best time to pull the trigger. Plus, steep discounts mean there’s more budget for multiple devices — in the event that you want to put Alexa in multiple rooms.
2. Save for these smart TV sets
TVs are a staple of Black Friday savings, and this year looks to be no exception. McGrath expects steep discounts from a number of manufacturers, but smart TVs will be what’s on the menu this time around. On Prime Day, a 43-inch was available for a doorbuster price of $175. Some 50-inch TVs were even available for as low as $279, so expect the most competitive deals to be on the larger models manufacturers hope to clearance out.
3. These top tablets are tempting
Tablets are a hot gift nearly every holiday season, but you might want to wait till Black Friday for the most competitive deals.
4. Go for these game consoles
Game consoles are highly sought after every holiday season — but the best deals are found on manufacturer bundles that include a great game (or three) along with it. Most notably, analysts predict that Nintendo’s record-breaking Switch console will have a discount of its own for the first time this holiday season. Usually, the device retails for $299, but has since seen discounts on several occasions for as low as $249. Expect something similar, and potentially with games included as well. This goes double for the company’s new Switch Lite, which retails for $199. That product will most likely be bundled with some popular new games like Pokemon Sword and Shield, or The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. As for Nintendo’s primary competitors, you can expect both bundles and discounts for the XBox and PS4. Last year, the XBox One saw price drops as steep as $100, so expect something similar to emerge in the coming weeks.
5. Seize these smartphone deals
Smartphones are in a strange place in terms of deals and discounts. Usually, any discounts or savings are offered by the carriers and very rarely by manufacturers. Instead, you’ll typically see some kind of bundle or BOGO deal each holiday season. Retailers will occasionally sweeten the pot with added bonuses like gift cards and free accessories with a phone purchase and activation. Last year, Target and Walmart both offered gift cards with iPhone and Samsung purchases — and McGrath predicts bundles with $200-$300 gift cards from these respective retailers this year. It’s not unheard of to see price drops on previous years’ smartphone models, so if you don’t mind having a phone that’s a year or two old, you might be able to snap up some savings.
Bonus: The top toys and clothes won’t last till Cyber Monday
It wouldn’t be the holiday season without discounts on toys and clothes from some of the biggest retailers. McGrath is advising shoppers to take advantage of Black Friday deals on these products rather than waiting until Cyber Monday. In previous years, some of the most popular items have managed to sell out a full three days before Cyber Monday, so if there’s a toy your kid or grandkid just has to have, be quick about taking advantage of deals the day-of.
