Don't buy ______ until Black Friday
The day after Turkey Day tends to be mostly hype, but for a select few stores and tech items, Friday should be buy-day.
Here's something I don't get about Black Friday and the entire month leading up to it: When stores "leak" their ads, they're telegraphing the deals -- meaning no one is going to buy any given product in the weeks leading up to Black Friday. And then if that product sells out, they're going to go away mad. I'm no marketing expert, but the whole arrangement just leaves me scratching my head.
And as I mentioned yesterday, there are some tech items you shouldn't buy on Black Friday -- because you can get the same (or better) deals on other days. (I call them "weekdays.")
There are, of course, exceptions. Here's my list of the things you shouldn't buy until Black Friday:
Anything from Apple The words "Apple" and "sale" almost never appear in the same sentence, but the company does tend to roll out some discounts on Black Friday. If history is any indication, you might score a free iTunes gift card with the purchase of certain products, or even a slightly lower price on celebrated items like the Apple Watch or iPad Pro. That said, stores like Staples, Sam's Club and Target have already announced some pretty solid discounts on Apple TVs and iPads (and Best Buy is knocking $100 off the Apple Watch), so don't limit your shopping to Apple Stores.
Related Black Friday coverage
A big (or even medium) TV If there's one product category that sees some really significant price cuts on Black Friday, it's TVs. Granted, some stores stock only a limited quantity of a few models -- so-called loss leaders designed to get you in the door -- but if you're in the market for a new TV, this is the day to pull the trigger. Walmart, for example, will be selling a 32-inch TCL Roku TV for $125, while Amazon will offer the 55-inch model for $349. Those would be considered colossal deals even on non-Roku TVs.
An Amazon Fire tablet for $35? Yes, please!
An Amazon Fire tablet Amazon's $50 tablet is already a steal, but why pay $50 when you can get it for $35? Both Amazon and Best Buy will be selling it for that price, which surprises the heck out of me. As tablets go, it's on the slow, low-resolution side -- but it's also quite versatile and a great way to consume Amazon Prime content.
A hoverboard Rapidly emerging as the must-have gift item for the holidays, these two-wheeled scooters (which most certainly do not hover) typically sell for at least $500. However, The Cheapskate has it on good authority that there will be at least one amazing hoverboard deal this Friday. So don't buy yet!
A drone Specifically, a DJI Phantom 3 Standard, which normally runs $800 but will sell for $600 on BF. My love affair with quadcopters began with the original DJI Phantom, an amazingly nimble and easy-to-fly model. The Phantom 3 Standard packs in a lot more features, though not as many as the Advanced or Professonal versions and it can't fly as far away.
And there you have it! I still say most Black Friday deals will be replicated (or even exceeded) in the weeks leading up to Christmas, but if you're looking for a sure thing, these items get the Cheapskate Seal of Approval.
What will you buy on Black Friday? And have you found any other must-have deals for the day after Turkey Day? While you're mulling over your shopping plans, check out CNET's 29 best Black Friday deals (so far).