Staying Fit
Although some consumers have been shopping for the holidays for months now, many others still view Black Friday as the unofficial kickoff to holiday shopping season and an opportunity to snag once-a-year deals at major retailers.
Last year 180 million Americans shopped either online or in-person over the Thanksgiving weekend, according to the National Retail Federation
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But experts say that while there are lots of great deals available on Black Friday — especially on televisions and other tech and electronics — there are certain items that shoppers might consider holding off on. Here’s a look at nine products not to buy on Black Friday.
1. Holiday decorations
When you’re in the holiday spirit, it’s easy to go overboard purchasing holiday-themed adornments for your home. However, if you can resist and make do with the decor you bought last year, you’ll see much better prices on holiday decorations in January.
“While it may be too late to get them in 2022, you can definitely get the best deals on these items in 2023,” says Brad Godwin, SVP, head of retail partnerships at Shopkick.
2. Furniture and mattresses
Although there may be some sales on furniture and mattresses over the holidays, shopping for such big-ticket items may be an unnecessary distraction during Black Friday, says Vipin Porwal, CEO and consumer expert at the cash-back portal Smarty.
“You can find equally sweet or better deals on Presidents Day for them,” he says.
3. Travel deals
Travel site Hopper found that travel sites offered twice as many discounts on “Travel Deal Tuesday” (November 29 this year) as they did on Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined. If you’re planning a trip next year, travel sites, hotels and airlines often offer their best deals on that day.
“With airfare prices going up thanks to inflation, this savings even may be your best bet to snag any discounts for a potential trip next year,” says Andrea Woroch, a consumer money-saving expert.
4. Toys
Toy prices tend to fall throughout December as Christmas approaches, so the longer you can wait to purchase playthings for the children in your life, the better. One caveat: For the hottest toy items, it may be worth spending a little bit more early in the season if you’re at all concerned about supplies running out.
