The Big Black Friday Reveal: Not Such a Deal After All
If you're one of the throngs of shoppers who camp out all night outside the nation's stores before Black Friday in hopes of nabbing a huge deal when the doors swing open, you've been duped. At least that's what new data commissioned by the Wall Street Journal reveals.
Pricing data from more than 50 brick-and-mortar and e-commerce retailers, gathered over a two- to 6-year period, shows that the best time to nab big bargains on common holiday gifts -- from Barbie dolls to watches and blenders -- is often not on the traditional day-after-Thanksgiving shopping extravaganza.
Watches and jewelry become pricier deeper into the holiday season, for example, while blenders are more likely to get marked down.
On a granular level, the study -- conducted by consumer-price research firm Decide Inc. on behalf of the Journal -- revealed that the best time to buy flat-screen TVs is now, in October, before prices start to creep up for the holiday. Meanwhile, the smartest time to purchase a Citizen men's black watch is in early March, while UGG boots are cheapest in September or October.
Although Black Friday doorbuster deals do indeed reflect a deep discount on select items, quantities are limited, and as any avid holiday shopper can attest, the chance of scoring those deals is slim.
"Retailers use the offerings to get people through their doors, even at the cost of losing money on the sale, in the hopes of drumming up business for other products that aren't priced at such steep discounts," the Journal reported.
And if your Black Friday just wouldn't be complete without a trip to the mall, check out these Black Friday survival tips for shoppers.
