The thrill of Black Friday is truly irresistible. Some may argue the deals are even sweeter than pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, or Thanksgiving altogether. The best part? It’s grown from a day-long celebration to a week of unbelievable deals. Pre-Black Friday deals are growing increasingly common, and usually start the Monday before Turkey Day.
This year, Black Friday 2019 falls on Friday, November 29th.
After analyzing a few years of past promotions from retailers, we’re confident that by November 25th, your inbox will be overloaded with codes offering 50% deals and free shipping. Now is definitely the time to take advantage of the best promotions and additional sale pricing on the trends you’ve been hesitant to splurge on at the beginning of the season.
Wild things have been known to happen around the frenzied store holiday, like Amazon’s 10 days of Black Friday deals. And, if we’re lucky, Levi’s Black Friday sale will repeat the time they knocked 30% off everything with a blanket promotional code.
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While the deals and sales are not to be missed, watching hordes of people fight over the last pair of yoga pants isn’t the most effective use of your time. That’s why our editors are all about online shopping. Rather than engage in the chaos, we also encourage you to stick to the comfort of your own sofa and anticipate exactly what you want and need from some basic kitchen gadgets to big-ticket tech items ahead of time.
So go ahead and enjoy those Thanksgiving leftovers and our best advice from the most seasoned shoppers as you prepare to shop for the best Black Friday deals from home.
1. Shop online.
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The only thing better than getting everything you want is accomplishing it all in your pajamas. “Last year, our research found that 70% of Black Friday doorbusters were available, at least briefly, at the store’s web sites,” Dan de Grandpre, CEO of DealNews.com, which informs shoppers on big deals across the retail landscape, told Forbes. “So, consider ditching your trip to the store to shop online instead. Definitely bring your smart phone or tablet with you to the store.”
Don’t buy into the Black Friday madness that you should be brawling to score a deal. Despite celebrating gratitude just a day earlier, going into stores can be risky for you and employees. The holiday has resulted in at least 10 deaths and 105 injuries since 2006 from Black Friday-related events, according to Forbes.
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Safety aside, online shopping gives you an extra edge to get the best deal, and there’s a bigger inventory to choose from. Also, nothing beats skipping crowds, traffic, and long lines. If you’re worried about shipping prices, opt for in-store pickup or hunt for stores also offering free shipping!
2. The sales have already begun.
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There are strong offers from massive chains like Walmart (live deals here) and Best Buy (live deals here.) You don’t need to wait until Black Friday to start shopping, and shoppers who do will end up missing out on tons of unbelievable opportunities.
Amazon Black Friday MacBook Deal, which is already available, will save you $100. You can also save $125.00 on the Apple iPad Pro, $50 off the Apple Watch Series 4, and $550 on original price of the Apple iPhone XS.
They’re also offering a bunch of insane deals on the Roku Streaming Stick (was $70, now $49), the Echo Dot 3rd Gen w/ Music Unlimited (was $59 now $10), the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (was $49.99, now $34.99,) and a 65″ 4K UHD Roku Smart TV (was $928, now $599).
3. Do your research well before Friday.
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Despite our yearning for a magical deal that makes iPads, MacBooks, iPhones, and Apple Watches free, we know they’re expensive. History teaches us what you can expect, which means pass on going to the Apple Store and stick to Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and Walmart to get a deal on those electronics.
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Forbes has predicted the following deals based off patterns from recent years and chats with industry insiders: Walmart and Best Buy will most likely offer $300 savings (gift card/direct) on the Apple iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, or iPhone 11 Pro Max, while Target will offer a $250 gift card.
Expect Amazon to offer refurbished iPhones with circa $200-300 discounts and an Apple Watch Series 3 for $199, which would have you save a whooping $100. Pcmag says smart speakers might be the hot item to keep your eye on, if you’re interested in picking up a discounted Google Home, Amazon Echo, or Nest Mini this year.
Other sites are pointing toward Prime Day prices to predict similar discounts. Amazon’s 4K streaming stick dropped to an all-time low price of $24.99 for that big sale.
4. Don’t only go for big brands or designers.
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Tons of sites offer and push cheaper brands hard on Black Friday, and this is a perfect opportunity to get an even bigger TV or smart watch. Best Buy, Target, Walmart, and Amazon always end up throwing in some great deals at the very last minute.
Look out for bundled coupons (like TV and console combo deals) because discounted prices on the devices themselves are likely to be very similar. So, why not choose the option that gives you a couple of free months of Netflix, HBO, or another streaming service?
5. Don’t feel obligated to buy anything.
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The distinction between Black Friday and Cyber Monday are already blurred and are becoming even less apparent. Consumer psychologist Dr. Kit Yarrow told Time, “Even sales that are listed as ‘Black Friday’ are starting days before the actual Black Friday. Black Friday has really evolved into a shorthand way of saying big sale.”
Like other big sales, there’s always a good one close by, so keep your eyes peeled before and remember the best deals are typically even closer to Christmas, or happening right now.
6. Check out the ads and the apps.
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Everyone is fighting for your business, so take a few minutes to see what they’re really offering to lure you in. Nordstrom has already made some big promises for their 2019 Black Friday. These clothing details are including Hunter, UGG, and Tory Burch, and outerwear from North Face.
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And the best news: if you’ll be shopping online, Nordstrom always offers free standard shipping and free returns with no minimums. Or, if you prefer, you can opt for convenient order pickup at your closest Nordstrom location.
7. Use the 40% off rule on clothing and accessories.
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Like we’ve pointed out before, Black Friday doesn’t always have the best deals. Forbes says the steepest markdowns tend to be available in August, September, and January.
“Make 40%-off our barometer for a great deal on clothing, shoes and accessories,” Charlie Graham, CEO of ShopItToMe.com, told the site. “Expect to see 30% to 50% off and free shipping, as well as whole stores on sale.”
8. Leave the kids at home.
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When you’re shopping and have to focus, sometimes you have to make tough calls.
As much as you love your kids, not only will they distract you, but they’re going to want everything, which can cause you to purchase items you don’t need, want, and can’t afford.
Plus, you might want to surprise them with the latest Barbie, LEGO, LEGO Star Wars, or WowWee Baby Shark Puppet. Watching you buy these gifts and find them wrapped under the tree with Santa’s name can cause a lot of confusion.
9. Read the reviews.
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If you’re taking our advice to shop online, let other customer’s ratings help influence your purchase.
If you’re on Amazon for example, you have easy access to countless customer reviews. If something has a super high or low rating, read the actual customer reviews to see if you’re still interested in the product.
Our editors handpicked the items in this article. Affiliate links may give us a small share of the revenue to support our creative team.
