Black Friday is almost here and shoppers are preparing to get a head start on their Christmas list, but the holiday isn’t necessarily the best time to find the year’s best deals.
The Inquisitr sorted through the best sales deals and gift ideas of the year so Black Friday shoppers can concentrate on getting the most out of the holiday because not every sale is worth leaving the house for.
More than 17 percent of merchandise sold on Black Friday is more expensive than the current Amazon list price, and that’s before Cyber Monday deals, while two in 10 sales offer shoppers no savings from their regular price. Also 11 percent of Black Friday sales offers are recycled ideas from last year.
Video games, not game systems, and appliances offer the best deals for Black Friday shoppers while jewelry, clothing, and accessories are the worst. The good people over at WalletHub put together an extensive list of the best and worst deals for Black Friday shoppers.
“While Black Friday is traditionally associated with the best prices, we should pause from our spending and ask: How good of a deal am I really getting?”
The stores with the best holiday shopping deals are Macy’s, Stage, and JCPenney, which are all offering average savings of at least 62.8 percent, according to the number crunchers over at WalletHub.
Best Deals
Craftsman 193 Pc. Mechanics Tool Set on sale for $100 from $250.
Craftsman 6-Drawer Ball-Bearing Tool Chest & Cabinet on sale for $100 from $149.
Nest Wi-Fi Programmable Learning Thermostat on sale for $200 from $249.
Samsung 24.5 cu ft Side by Side Refrigerator on sale for $900 from $1,347.
Denon Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer on sale for $350 from $557.
Kitchenaid Professional 5 Plus Series Stand Mixer on sale for $200 from $299.
Kirkland Signature 42? Mobile Drawer Tool Chest on sale for $499 from $900.
Dell XPS 13.3 Touchscreen Laptop on sale for $1,299 from $1,675.
Cat 52? Tool Chest and Cabinet Combo on sale for $1,000 from $1,300.
Xbox One S Gears of War 1TB Console Bundle on sale for $300 from $400.
PlayStation 4 Slim Uncharted 4 500GB Bundle on sale for $250 from $299.
Alienware Steam Machine i7 -1TB on sale for $375 from $409.
US General Pro 44?, 13 Drawer Industrial Roller Cabinet on sale for $340 from $640.
Pittsburgh 1 Ton Capacity Foldable Shop Crane on sale for $100 from $200.
900 Peak/700 Running Watts 2 Hp 2 Cycle Gas Generator on sale for $89 from $160.
LG Energy Star Ultra Large Capacity Dryer on sale for $495 from $1,034.
Samsung 24.5 cu. Ft. Side-by-Side Refrigerator on sale for $894 from $1,347.
LG Fully Integrated Dishwasher with 3 rd Rack on sale for 745 from $1,120.
Color Switch Plus 7.5? Pre-Lit Vancouver Fir Tree on sale for $150 from $421.
12v Disney Princess Convertible on sale for $210 from $412.
Samsung 48? Class 1080p LED HDTV on sale for $210 from $479.
Kohl’s
JBL Pulse 2 Splashproof Portable Bluetooth Speak on sale for $120 from $312.
Canon EOS Rebel T6 DSLR Camera Zoom Kit on sale for $450 from $599.
Bella Air Fryer on sale for $50 from $194.
Dyson Ball Multifloor Pro Canister Vacuum on sale for $250 from $400.
Brookstone Big Blue Speak on sale for $199 from $300.
Tommy Hilfiger Collins Waterproof Duck Boots on sale for $50 from $138.
Electrolux 4.4 cu. Ft. Front-Load Steam Washer on sale for $950 from $2,199.
NordicTrack Elite 3700 Treadmill on sale for $1,000 from $2,000.
Simmons Upholstery Bentley Motion Sofa on sale for $799 from $1,614.
Target
Hisense 50? UHD TV with High Dynamic Range on sale for $250 from $564.
Apple Watch Series 2 with Black Sport Band on sale for $370 from $565.
Dyson Ball Origin Upright Vacuum on sale for $200 from $354.
Toys”R”Us
Chicco NextFit Convertible Car Seat on sale for $200 from $802.
Sorelle Berkley 4-in-1 Covertible Crib on sale for $100 from $420.
Avigo BMW X5 6 Volt Powered Ride On on sale for $100 from $395.
Walmart
HP Black 15.6? Laptop PC with 4GB Memory on sale for $249 from $544.
Artic King 5.0 cu. Ft. Chest Freezer on sale for $99 from $383.
Canon EOS Rebel Digital SLR Camera with Lens Bundle on sale for $449 from $699.
Shopping tips
Black Friday shoppers looking to save a little extra money and zip through the cashier line should bring plastic and leave their cash at home. This is somewhat counter intuitive because we’ve been taught that cash is king, but with the arrival of self-checkout machines and chip-enabled card readers, this is no longer your parents’ checkout stand.
The new theory of cashiering teaches retail associates to scan all purchases and then bag the items while the customer uses the credit card terminal – cash slows things down.
Credit cards also offer the ability to shop now and pay later, after the holidays. Many big box retailers offer their own store cards, which come with discounts, price protection, and extended warranties.
Also, it’s important to keep in mind that several retailers stack up on Black Friday merchandise for the holiday so the best deals may be on electronics of lower quality or lesser known brands, as professor Jennifer Burton told WalletHub.
“You may have older or lower-end models, especially in electronics, and seasonal items that are deeply discounted.”
Unique gift ideas
Black Friday shoppers looking to buy gifts for that quirky individual on their Christmas list should consider some unique gift ideas like telescopes, science kits, health and fitness kits, or Star Trek accessories.
Amazon is offering Star Trek Bluetooth Communicators, bathrobes, board games, and starship models at deep discounts. The online site has had Black Friday deals available all month including the Charge 2 fitness tracker from Fitbit, the Sport Tritan fruit infuser water bottle, Suunto Core Multifunction Watch, and Audible Rush speakers that fit on your bicycle’s handlebars.
Recreational marijuana is also legal in several states including California where voters just passed Prop 64 and are awaiting the New Year for the statute to take effect. The pot enthusiast on your list might enjoy a cannabis-scented candle, hemp moisturizer, ashtray, or Cannador stash box designed to keep weed at an appropriate humidity, available from The Cannabist .
Where will you be spending Black Friday?
[Featured Image by Tom Pennington /Getty Images]