Black Friday: 10 Tips to Snagging a Great Deal!

tvpredictions.com ^ | 11/20/2011 | Phillip Swann

[Las Vegas Dave]

Washington, D.C. (Nov. 20, 2011) -- Best Buy says it will sell a Sharp 42-inch, 1080p LCD HDTV for $199. Hhgregg says it will sell an Internet-enabled Samsung Blu-ray player for $39. And Target plans to sell a Westinghouse 46-inch 1080p LCD HDTV for $298.

These are just some of the incredible deals that retailers will offer on High-Definition TVs and related high-def products on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving (Nov. 25).

However, this could be the most competitive Black Friday ever -- thanks to the economy and smaller inventories at retail stores. It's quite possible that some of the discount prices will be available for one day only -- and may include restrictions on time and supply.

And with the economy in trouble, surveys indicate that bargain hunters will likely turn out in even greater numbers on the big day.

So, how can you make sure that you don't get shut out?

Based on information from Consumer World (http://consumerworld.org/pages/shoptips.htm) and other sources, TVPredictions.com has compiled a list of 10 rules for landing that great deal on Black Friday, the traditional start of the holiday shopping season.

And here they are:

1. Read the Ads -- In Print & Online Consumer World suggests that you carefully review your local newspapers on Thanksgiving Day. Usually, they will be stuffed with Black Friday ads and coupons. Bring them with you on the big day. Plus, many retailers are offering special Black Friday deals at their web sites. Don't forget to check them out 24-48 hours prior to the big day. (Also see Rule #6)

2. Evaluate the Deals Don't assume every "deal" is a deal. Compare the "Black Friday" special price with the HDTV's normal price before buying. You can do that at various e-commerce web sites such as Amazon.com and BestBuy.com. You may even find a lower price online.

3. Buy a Good Product A low price doesn't guarantee a high-quality television. Do some research and read product reviews at sites such as CNET.com. If you're not familiar with the product's brand name, check out its customer service record with organizations such as the Better Business Bureau.

4. Look For More Discounts Some stores issue coupons or rebates on high-def sets and other products such as High-Definition DVD players. Find out if the discounts apply to the Black Friday specials.

5. Come Early Some stores will offer special prices if you come in at a specific time, such as between 5 a.m. and 11 a.m. Check out those Thanksgiving ads for "time restricted" specials. Also, this year, some stores are holding pre-Black Friday sales.

6. Beat the Early Birds Some Black Friday deals at retail may be available at the store's web site. Check out the site in the wee hours of Friday morning and you might save yourself a trip to the store.

7. Check the Return Policy Before buying, find out the store's return policy. Consumer World says some stores discourage returns by imposing restocking fees or placing frequent "returners" on blacklists.

8. Get a Gift Receipt You can make a return easier for gift recipients by asking the store to place a receipt in a gift box. Without it, the store may not accept it.

9. Use the Right Credit Card Some credit cards offer free benefits such as a return protection guarantee or purchase points that can be redeemed for other products. When you're buying a big-ticket item like a HDTV, that could pay off.

10. Save More With Price Guarantees After buying the high-def set, keep your eye on the TV's price at other stores in the next month. Some stores will give you the difference between your price and a competitor's price during the holiday season.

[Las Vegas Dave]

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[arderkrag]

Yeh, but are any of them at least 120 Hz?

[Saundra Duffy]

What a silly game.

[blueyon]

OK what is the difference between a 1080P and a 1080I..........my daughter said stay away from any 720 TV, it has to be at least 1080.....put I do not know why some have P’s and some have I’s after the number......also 60hz or 120 hz, what is the difference?

[Las Vegas Dave]

The BB 42" Sharp special is 60hz.

Bagging a 42in Sharp, for $199 (if you are lucky) is a bargain!

The published specifications that I could find are limited: http://www.sharpusa.com/ForHome/HomeEntertainment/LCDTVs/LC42SV49U.aspx

http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/11/12/42-sharp-lc-42sv49u-lcd-1080p-hdtv-full-specs-a-mystery/

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Las Vegas Dave. And, wow--

Best Buy says it will sell a Sharp 42-inch, 1080p LCD HDTV for $199. Hhgregg says it will sell an Internet-enabled Samsung Blu-ray player for $39.

[deadrock]

1080P is full HD. 240hz is better than 120, which is better than 60.

You can get a good 1080p flat screen at 240hz for around a grand nowadays.

[Las Vegas Dave]

Your daughter is not entirely correct, 720p is better than 1080i.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-JXfyvlPh0

http://www.highdefforum.com/showthread.php?p=180536#post180536

Here is a short description in order (see attached 6 min youtube):
1) 1080P
2) 720P
3) 1080i
4) 480p
5) 480i

[Optimist]

I = interlace (this is how traditional televisions have always worked)
picture is scanned zig-zag left to right from top to bottom 540 times across, then rescanned in between those “lines” 540 times again creating 1080 horizontal lines in 2 passes
P = progressive - this is better performance
1080 scans in one single continuous swipe
60, 120 240hz (hz = times per second) is the “refresh” frequency or how often the screen is scanned from top to bottom - higher is better

[blueyon]

Thank you for the information...........

[slorunner]

Best way STAY HOME!!!!

[RayChuang88]

Yeh, but are any of them at least 120 Hz?

That's the problem. The cheapest 120 Hz 40 to 42 inch LCD panels start at around US$550.

[radioone]

Unless you are willing to camp out this week in front of a Best Buy store, I wouldn’t get to excited about this deal. Knowing BBY, they probably only have 3 or 4 per store

[Optimist]

correct 720P IS better than 1080i
because it is 720 distinct lines added to the screen in a single pass every 1/60th, 1/120th or 1/240th of a second (60, 120, 240 hz)
1080i equates to 540 since it takes 2 passes to get the entire picture
or to look at it another way it is equivalent to 1/2 the frequency = 30, 60 or 120 hz for a full picture
the lower the frequency the more likelihood of an apparent flicker and/or lag or “fuzziness” in the image as image content exceeds the sets ability to place it on the screen. In conventional televisions the residual “lag” in picture tube is what creates an appearance of all the lines being present to our eye. digital storage is doing basically the same thing on an i set. holding the image while the next “scan” occurs

[caww]

You can bet they’ll have another option when those three or four are gone...and people will go for the bait and switch.

[Le Chien Rouge]

11) Celebrate the Orthodox Christmas(usually in early January and get great deals on Dec 26TH

[blueyon]

That’s what we used to always do............before we got old and no longer “wanted” anything..Small Christmas to keep the real reason on Christ...and then on Dec 26th we would go shopping and then celebrate by opening gifts under the tree Jan 1st..............

This year our daughter keeps saying we really should get a “big” TV as we would enjoy it. Hubby and I have a price in mind and if we can we will and if not, oh well..........it’s a win either way.

[Qwackertoo]

ad states minimum of 10 per store. But if first 3-4 people in line buy 2 each for themselves and a friend, they’ll still be gone quickly. I usually stay away from BB on Black Friday and most other days too . . . unless it is a super deal and I don’t have to jump through too many hoops to get it.

[The Great RJ]

One of my students worked for the local Target store and laughed about these bargains. Yes, the store does have these bargain items at the price advertised, but in such limited quantities that only the first few customers in the door will be able to buy them. They often put these bargains at the back of the store so that you may buy other things on your way to the big ticket items.

Given the state of the economy when Black Friday sales fall short, retailers will be making further cuts to get inventory moving and after the holidays will still give you the best buy.