Plan your Black Friday assault

Where the deals are

This year's best savings are expected to be on flat-screen televisions. Several chains are expected to offer 42-inch plasma high-definition TVs for under $1,000, the first time that mark has been breached, according to industry experts.

Mike Vitelli, a senior vice president at Best Buy, predicted in a recent conference call that average selling prices for flat-screen TVs this holiday season will be down as much as 30% from last year, which he expects to drive more sales. Also sparking the sales of flat-screen TVs is new technology, with traditional TVs expected to be obsolete in the next few years as broadcasters switch from analog transmission to a digital signal.

"No one wants to be stuck with a houseful of TVs that don't get the signal," said Dan Butler, a vice president with the National Retail Federation.

Besides TVs, here some other good deals, according to retail Web sites:

• At Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, expect a Kodak EasyShare C633 digital camera and printer dock bundle for $189.74, Barbie Fashion Fever dolls priced at $5 each and a Compaq Presario PC media and entertainment center for $398 (minimum 15 per store and limit of one per customer). The company, purportedly annoyed by the leaks of the deals, now plans to announce additional discounts on Thanksgiving on its Web site.

• At Ace Hardware, look for a Nextar GPS system for $299.

• And at Kmart, watch for deals such as 70% off all fine and sterling-silver jewelry, a George Foreman Family Grill for $24.99 and a Sylvania 26-inch flat-panel high-definition-ready TV for $549.99.

According to a survey by BIGresearch, consumers plan to spend an average of $791.10 this year on gifts, up almost $60 from 2005, plus an additional $99.22 on themselves. That's big money and a prime reason many malls and outlet shops are opening at midnight for Black Friday.

The alternative: Sleep late

For those who hate the frenzy but still want good deals, there are other options.

You can shop online on Black Friday if you have a speedy Internet connection. But remember, some stores don't make their best deals available online, and others have limited amounts of a sales item, and you need to come into the store to get them.

Then there's always Cyber Monday, the Monday after Thanksgiving, which has become one of the biggest days for online sales, said Butler, of the National Retail Federation.

"You can just wait out Black Friday and still get some good deals just sitting in your office chair," he said.

Helen Kang, a mother of two young children in Los Angeles, said she will shop online after Thanksgiving, especially with so many stores offering free shipping.

"I don't like crowds. I get shoved, and I can't stand it," she said. "I just get confused. I'd rather spend $50 extra than get pushed around."

Published Nov. 21, 2006

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