Your Black Friday experience may not look or feel the same this year, but retailers are still offering deals, experts say.
"As with most things in 2020, Covid-19 is changing the landscape of Black Friday," says Regina Conway, consumer savings expert with Slickdeals.
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Many retailers that usually open on Thanksgiving, such as Walmart and Kohl's, will be closed until 5 a.m. on Black Friday. In the meantime, they'll offer online-only deals, Conway says. Additionally, many stores are spreading out their Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals over more than just two days and running events over the course of the entire month of November.
Despite the changes, RetailMeNot finds that 61% of retailers are planning to offer more discounts this year than they traditionally do. "Even though this year brought an extended time frame of savings opportunities, we still expect to see strong Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers," says Sara Skirboll, shopping and trends expert for RetailMeNot.
If you're already planning ahead, here are the types of products that Conway and Skirboll say shoppers can expect to see the best deals on during Black Friday and Cyber Monday this year.
Small appliances
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Small appliances like coffeemakers, air fryers, KitchenAid mixers, blenders and many other must-have kitchen gadgets are likely to be heavily discounted at a variety of retailers, Skirboll says. "If you're in the market for one of these items, now is a great time to buy."
Kohl's is advertising a Toastmaster 5-cup coffeemaker, mini or immersion blender and mini chopper for just $2.14 after a coupon and mail-in rebate during Black Friday, according to Slickdeals. At Macy's, a popular Black & Decker Glass Bowl Chopper has a Black Friday sale price of just $3.99 starting Nov. 24. It typically retails for $44.99.
Electronics
Technology deals, including video games, computers, TVs and even smart home devices, are generating a lot of interest, Conway says. There's no shortage of good TV deals this year, she adds. And while there will be lots of discounts on gaming consoles, keep in mind that the sales typically do not include the latest model.
"If you see a good deal on TVs, computers, older generation video game consoles or phones, I recommend scooping those up immediately," Skirboll says. "We anticipate some items will be discounted up to 40% off, which means they will go fast."
Walmart is selling a VIZIO 70" LED Smart TV for $478 during their holiday sales event. Normally the model and similar models retail for $650, according to Brad's Deals. Meanwhile Evocvacs vacuuming and mopping robot, the DEEBOT U2 PRO is priced at $249.99 from Nov. 26 to Dec. 5 at Costco. This model usually sells for $349.99, according to Evocvacs.
Clothing
"Clothing deals are readily available this year," Conway says, adding that Slickdeals is already seeing a lot of interest from shoppers for discounts on apparel.
High-rise tapered women's jeans from Madewell are on sale for $52.49 with code WARMUP during Black Friday. Normally, these jeans will run you $98, according to Slickdeals. The site also notes that Nordstrom is offering black Linea Paolo combat boots for $47.99 during Black Friday sales, down from the regular price of $159.95.
One product to perhaps wait to buy: Toys
When it comes to toys, getting the best deals can be a challenge, Skirboll says. "Prices will be at their lowest, 20 to 25% off, around two weeks before Christmas. But by waiting, shoppers run the risk of low inventory and shipping delays," she explains.
If the child in your life has their heart set on a particular toy, shop early, Skirboll recommends. Otherwise, wait until December and find great discounts on what's still available.
As always, the experts say that deals can come in all shapes and sizes this time of year, so it pays to do your homework. Use BlackFriday.com to check out all the ads and compare prices on the items you're hoping to score.
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