Black Friday Predictions

By Kinsey Schofield

I'm taking on the masses this BLACK FRIDAY on Good Day Sacramento, so I asked EarlyBlackFriday.com to give us the skinny and their predictions. Here is what they said:

• EarlyBlackFriday.com believes that this year will be the first time online sales surpass in-store sales.
• Retailers are embracing Internet-based sales and pushing online very hard by making it clear to shoppers in the Black
• Friday sales circulars that they can get these deals online on Thanksgiving day (or earlier).
• New this year, smart home products (such as Amazon's Echo, and Google Home) are prominently featured in the Black Friday ads.
• The big screen TVs are still the main "eye candy" in the Black Friday ads but overlooked product categories such as luggage, bedding, and children's pajama sets are really the best buys (and most accessible compared to the limited supply of TVs).
• If you only go to one store on Black Friday, visit Target or Target.com. Their deals are much better than other stores with similar merchandise.
• Some of the best deals this year are:
  - Westinghouse 55" 4k Ultra HDTV for $249.99 at Target.
  - Sharp 50" 4k Ultra HDTV w/Roku TV for $179.99 (save $320) at Best Buy.
  - Google Home Mini plus a $10 Target gift card for $29.99 at Target.
  - Nest Learning Thermostat + $60 in Kohl's Cash for $199.99 at Kohl's ($50 off).
  - Protocol Garrison 5-Piece Luggage Set for $39.99 at JCPenney.
  - Apple iPad mini 4 (128GB) for $274.99 ($125 off) at Best Buy.

Here are some of the top deals by store:

Target
- Westinghouse 55" 4k Ultra HDTV for $249.99.
- Google Home Mini plus a $10 Target gift card for $29.99
- VTech Digital Video Baby Monitor for $89.99 (50% off)
- iRobot Roomba 614 Robot Vacuum for $199 at Target

Best Buy
- Sharp 50" 4k Ultra HDTV w/Roku TV for $179.99 (save $320)
- Google Home for $79.99
- Apple iPad mini 4 (128GB) for $274.99 ($125 off).

Kohl's
- Nest Learning Thermostat + $60 in Kohl's Cash for $199.99 ($50 Off)
- 50% Off select toys from Fisher-Price, Playskool, Little Tikes, Hot Wheels, and more brands
- Sony PlayStation 1TB Console + $60 in Kohl's Cash for $199.99

JCPenney
- Cooks brand small kitchen appliances (toaster, coffee maker, waffle iron, griddle, etc) for $7.99
- Protocol Garrison 5-Piece Luggage Set for $39.99
- Stafford Travel Wrinkle-Free Men's Oxford Dress Shirts for $14.99

As for shopping tips, one thing that I think is important for shoppers to know is that Black Friday deals aren't only available on Black Friday. Some retailers (JCPenney, Bon-Ton, Kohl's) have their Black Friday deals available online right now and we expect more major retailers such as Toys R Us, Macy's, and Amazon.com to also put up their Black Friday deals before Thanksgiving.

Finally, if you're looking for the best time to snag a deal, stay up Wednesday night and shop then. Retailers typically "flip the switch" on their sale a few hours before Thanksgiving so you can quickly get the deals while everyone else is sleeping.
Shop BLACK FRIDAY with us LIVE on Good Day Sacramento!