Monday, Jun 17, at 5:08 PM

Is Sony’s PS4 Slated for Pre-Black Friday Release?

The biggest shopping day of the year may have just become a whole lot bigger. 

We’re less than a week removed from E3, the annual computer and video game industry trade show that turns the Los Angeles Convention Center into gaming mecca for three days, and it looks like we already know when the Playstation 4 will go on sale. According to a report from thegameeffect.com, Sony plans on releasing their brand-new beast of an entertainment system upon the world on November 26th, 2013, just three days before Black Friday.

In the immediate aftermath of E3, Sony’s new console was, by most accounts, preordained the king of next-gen gaming systems over Microsoft’s Xbox One, with Sony’s stock rising 9% after Microsoft showed off their new hardware on E3’s opening day.

There’s no word yet if retailers are planning on offering any Black Friday deals on the new console, it’s accessories, or it’s games. You can preorder the PS4 from, Amazon, GameStop, Target, and Best Buy. As of right now, Amazon seems to have the best deal going, as they won’t charge you until your order ships and offer free shipping. Happy gaming!!

Continue reading: Is Sony’s PS4 Slated for Pre-Black Friday Release?

Friday, Jun 7, at 11:06 AM

Black Friday Every Friday: 6/7/13

The holiday shopping season is over, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t still great deals out there. We know that throughout the year you can find sales sometimes even better than Black Friday specials, and we want to make sure we share the savings with you.

Today’s Black Friday Deals:

Nook Simple Touch $50 Shipped

Get a Nook Simple Touch for $49.99 with free shipping atBestBuy.com through 6/8. Plus, shipping is free. That’s within pennies of this past Black Friday’s price, and it’s the current price low by $15. Sales tax is charged in most states.

Pizza Hut: Large Pizza + 1 Topping $5

Get a large pizza plus one topping for $5.55 atPizzaHut.com, now through June 15th. The deal is part of Pizza Hut’s anniversary celebration. This is one of the best deals on a pizza that we’ve seen in recent months. No code is needed. Just click the link and order online and choose pickup or carryout. Note: This does not apply for double stuffed pizzas and extra cheese has an extra charge. Sales tax and delivery charges apply.

Full – Cal King 7pc Comforter Sets $60

Select 7 piece comforter sets are lowered to $59.99 during Macy’s.com’s Summer Home Sale. Check out the pictured Odelia Set, the Westcott Set, and the Caden Set, all originally $200 or more, now $59.99 for all sizes from full to California King. That’s the lowest price we’ve seen for these styles by $20. Shipping is free if you spend $99 or more, otherwise it’s $9.95. Note that some styles incur a $3.25 surcharge. Sales tax is charged in most states.

Bare Minerals: 20% Off + Free Shippin

Continue reading: Black Friday Every Friday: 6/7/13

Friday, May 31, at 12:19 PM

Black Friday Every Friday: 5/31/13

The holiday shopping season is over, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t still great deals out there. We know that throughout the year you can find sales sometimes even better than Black Friday specials, and we want to make sure we share the savings with you.

Today’s Black Friday Deals:

KitchenAid 4.5qt Mixer $196 Shipped

The KitchenAid 4.5qt Stand Mixer in chrome or white drops from $299.99 to $229.99, and then to $195.49 when you add code SUMMERFUN at Kohls.com. With free shipping, that’s the lowest price we could find anywhere, although there was a close second on a slightly different model. There is also no shipping surcharge, though it’s mentioned on the page. Sales tax is charged in most states.

Macy’s 24pc Cookware Set $60

This Tools of the Trade Cookright 24-Piece Cookware Set, originally $199.99, is now $59.99 at Macys.com. Even with $9.95 shipping (or free shipping over $99), this is the lowest price we could find on anything comparable. Set includes frying pans, sauce pans, glass bowls, a colander, and more. Sales tax is charged in most states.

Coby 32″ LED HDTV $200 Shippe

Continue reading: Black Friday Every Friday: 5/31/13

When is Black Friday 2013?
Friday, November 29, 2013

When are Black Friday ads released?
Ads can come out as early as October, but most ads will be posted the week leading up to Thanksgiving. Make sure to check back with us for every ad as it comes out!

What are the best items to buy on Black Friday?
Electronics (especially lesser brand latops and HDTVs), kitchen appliances, DVDs and video games.

What are the worst items to buy on Black Friday?
Winter clothing, toys, luxury items (ie iPhones, iPads, etc), Christmas decorations, and jewelry.

Check our our Black Friday FAQ for the answers to more of your Black Friday questions!

Brad's Top 10 Tips for Black Friday Sales

1. Research: Start researching the sales by checking out the Black Friday ads on Thanksgiving Day or earlier.
2. Make a plan: Identify what you want to buy, which stores have the best Black Friday sales and what time they will open.
3. Timing is everything: Arrange stores by opening time from earliest to latest.
4. A fool and his money: Be wary of Black Friday doorbusters with quantity limits. If a store only has 10 items at that price, go elsewhere.
5. Visualize: Know where your items will be located in the store.
6. Stay safe: We see reports of Black Friday violence every year, everything from tramplings to shootings. Be polite and courteous to those around you.
7. Power of numbers: Go with a team and attack different stores, or different departments of the same store. Designate a meeting place to regroup.
8. Bring a snack: Only amateurs stop at the food court on Black Friday! (Or the bathroom - so go before you leave the house.)
9. The quiet ones: Don’t ignore stores that don’t advertise. The will have Black Friday deals, too!
10. Have fun: Enjoy your family, friends and deals!

Black Friday 2011 Results

• Prediction: Spending will increase again from $365 to $385 as consumers spend more despite the negativity.
  Result: Holiday shoppers exceeded everyone’s expectations for Black Friday, spending $398 on average.
• Prediction: The amount of Black Friday shoppers will increase from 212 million last year to 225 million this year.
  Result: Black Friday was more popular than expected, with an estimated 226 million shoppers hitting the stores and shopping online. So we were close - if you consider underestimating by 1 million to be close.
• Prediction: With more shoppers spending more money, Black Friday spending as a percentage of total holiday sales will increase significantly from 10.0% to 10.6%.
  Result: If we thought that 10.6% would be a significant increase, then the actual percentage of 11.1% is absolutely incredible. We’re attributing the jump to ongoing economic concerns, with cash-strapped consumers showing up in force to score Black Friday deals and showing more restraint through the rest of the holiday shopping season.
• Prediction: The amount of online Black Friday shopping will jump from $648 million to $705 million as people try to avoid stores, and online becomes even more popular.
  Result: ComScore reported that online shopping on Black Friday amounted to an astounding $816 million. Black Friday sales grew 24.3% over the previous year and the average online shopper spent $150. How did that number grow so large? We saw a lot more Black Friday sales that began early on Thanksgiving and more stores moving their sales from early morning to midnight. Extended hours and early access to Black Friday sales are likely culprits for the retail sales bump. Throw in our previous note about more shoppers trying to get holiday deals on a budget and more retailers offering online Black Friday sales and it begins to make more sense.

Black Friday Historic Stats

stats are for Thu-Sun on Black Friday weekend; shoppers can be counted more than once; Sources: BIGResearch, NRF, Shoppertrak

History of Black Friday

Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving. Falling as early as the 23rd and as late as the 29th of November, it has become the busiest shopping day of the year with stores opening earlier and earlier each season to accommodate the rush of customers. Stores that participate in Black Friday offer dramatic discounts on popular holiday items, particularly electronics and toys.

The term "Black Friday" was first used to describe the day after Thanksgiving by police officers in the 1960s in Philadelphia, PA. They called the day Black Friday in reference to the traffic in the area caused by shoppers and extra crowds drawn into the city by the College Football Army v. Navy game. In the 1980s, retailers began to dislike having their biggest sale day of the year referred to in a negative light so they pushed the theory that the day was called Black Friday because it marked the first day that a retailer had sold through enough inventory and turned a profit for the year, putting them "in the black" according to the old by-hand accounting system of using black ink to indicate a profit and red ink to indicate a loss.

Why do people go so crazy on Black Friday? For the sales! Stores offer almost ridiculously low prices and increase demand by supplying only limited inventory or limiting sales to small time slots. True Black Friday champions develop team strategy plans, do plenty of store research (including going to stores in the weeks leading up to Black Friday to check out store layout and to badger employees into giving them insider info), and of course, stocking up on Black Friday ads and coupons.