5 Bad Deals to Avoid on Black Friday
Don't believe everything you read, especially if it has the phrase "Lowest Prices Ever" emblazoned across the page in connection to Black Friday. Some deals are truly too good to be true. Here is a list of 5 items to avoid buying on Black Friday, because if you wait a bit longer, the prices will surely drop.
Top-Tier HDTVs
HDTVs are on the cover of almost every ad flier for Black Friday, but did you know that contrary to popular opinion, the best time to buy brand name HDTVs is in January and February? That's right, according to Dealnews.com, early 2013 is when manufacturers will try to get rid of older models to make room for their new inventory in the Spring.
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But if you just must buy an HDTV this Friday, then you can rest assured that non-brand name ones are really a bargain as the store claims.
Clothes and Jewelry
Retailers will be lowering their price on clothes, but they won't hit rock-bottom (read 70-80 percent, even 90 percent off) until after Christmas when stores are pretty much just trying to find anyone to take the clothes off their hands. January is the month to hit the racks for clearance sales that could afford you a new wardrobe without breaking the bank or send you on a guilt trip.
Black Friday is definitely not a good time to buy jewelry. It' s better to buy it in December as Christmas is closing in and jeweler have too much inventory, after the holiday season, or better yet, during the Spring and Summer.
Toys
Also do not buy this item on Black Friday. Most toys will be there in a few weeks and will be there with a significantly lower price. You can still get the little ones in your life their can't-live-without-this toy by Christmas, just buy it one or two weeks before Dec. 25 and note the price drop. But beware that you should just grab that toy right away and shell out whatever the store is demanding if news reports say that there is a shortage of supply to demand for the toy of interest.
Luxury Brands
Don't expect luxury brands to offer a generous deal for Black Friday. The Wall Street Journal's Market Watch reports that high-end department stores like Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus don't plan on releasing any special promotion. And famed jewelry store Tiffany & Co also stated that they have no special sales on Black Friday. Also don't expect luxury brand purses to go on sale for Black Friday, either.
Tablets
Computers, TVs and XBox 360s are going on sale for Black Friday, but one popular device that has been shying from the price cut frenzy are tablet computers. Market Watch reports that many tablets are being sold as part of the deep Black Friday discount, but really are comparably priced to their manufacturer's price. Say for example, the 16GB Google Nexus 7 tablet is being sold by Staples for $199, which is the same price Google is offering it for. But keep in mind, that tablet was released March 2011.
