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Best Things to Buy in November 2024
TVs, beauty products, smartphones and more go on sale this month
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Attention, holiday shoppers: You don’t have to wait until Black Friday (Nov. 29) to start hunting for deals.
“Over the last few years everyone has begun rolling out promotions earlier and earlier, and I’m starting to see it as Black Month, rather than Black Friday or Black Friday week,” says Bella Gerard, a shopping and trend adviser at Rakuten.
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It's unclear whether retailers or consumers are driving the earlier start of the holiday shopping season, but nearly half of consumers now expect to be half-done with their holiday shopping before Thanksgiving, according to research from Outfront.
While November’s pre-Black Friday sales tend to range across many categories, you can expect to see sizable discounts this month on televisions, beauty products baking supplies and other select items.
Read on for a roundup of the best products to purchase in November.
Televisions and TV accessories
Black Friday has traditionally offered the best deals of the year on TVs, including 4K models, with deep price cuts on the previous year’s models.
“The early Black Friday sales kick off the best time of year to find deals on TVs of all sizes and for all brands, including budget brands and sets with built-in streaming, like Roku and Google TVs,” says Vipin Porwal, CEO and consumer expert at the cash-back portal Smarty.
Gerrard says you’ll also see substantial discounts on TV tech accessories such as sound bars, surround speakers and streaming devices.
Where to find deals: Target, Walmart, Amazon
Potential savings: 50 percent off or more on Black Friday
Beauty products
Look for deals at department stores on holiday-themed makeup and skin care sets that offer multiple items at a discount. If you’re loyal to a specific skin care or makeup brand, buying direct from the company’s website could yield even higher savings.
Where to find deals: Sephora, Macy’s, Clinique
Potential savings: 20 percent to 50 percent off
Smartphones
Whether you’re in the market to purchase a smartphone for yourself or for someone else, you’ll find some of the lowest prices of the year over the next few weeks.
“November is one of the best months to upgrade your smartphone, with big savings from the top mobile carriers like Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile,” Porwal says, “and perhaps even better doorbuster smartphone deals from the big-box retailers.”
Where to find deals: Verizon, AT&T, Google
Potential savings: Buy-one-get-promotions or gifts cards with purchase
Baking supplies
Demand for a variety of baking equipment, including pans, cookie sheets and even stand mixers, goes up this time of year as more hosts pick up supplies to prep for parties and shoppers consider gifts for the home chefs in their lives. Expect deals on both brand-name products from higher-end stores and basic supplies from warehouse retailers.
Where to find deals: Costco, Sam’s Club, Caraway
Potential savings: 20 percent to 30 percent off
Vacuums
While they’ll never be the sexiest purchase, vacuum cleaners, from robot vacuums to electric stick vacs, have become more tech-forward — and more giftable.
“A lot of times now, vacuums are on sale just like any other electronics, and they’re a big part of Black Friday deals,” says Sarah Jankowski, director of user growth and integrated marketing at Shopkick. “They’re great gifts, but you might also want to buy a new one for yourself if you’re hosting for the holidays.”
Where to find deals: Dyson, Best Buy, Wayfair
Potential savings: 30 percent off on Black Friday
Halloween goodies
You’ll find clearance sales in the first week of the month on all things spooky. The first week of November is also a great time to pick up bags of individual-sized candy, especially anything with Halloween-themed packaging, as well as costumes that you could wear on future Halloweens.
Gerrard suggests checking out craft stores like Joann and Michael’s to find a wide selection of discounted, themed decorations. “I’m not a crafter, but I started going to those stores for my seasonal décor, and it’s been a game changer,” she says.
Where to find deals: Joann, Michaels, Halloween pop-up stores
Potential savings: Up to 80 percent off
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