Sales started weeks ago, which raises the question: should consumers start shopping early or wait for the official Black Friday? What started as a day of deals has grown to a weekend, then an entire week and now a massive, basically an entire month of promotion.
Retailers are competing fiercely to limit consumer spending before their rivals, offering discounts earlier each year.
Retail analyst Heather Herzog told ABC News that retailers are also relying heavily on dynamic and surge pricing to maximize profits. While dynamic pricing is driven by basic supply and demand – prices rise when demand increases and supply tightens – technology has changed how quickly retailers can respond. Herzog pointed out that price adjustments that once took days or weeks can now happen in minutes.
Meanwhile, consumers are entering the season under financial stress amid economic uncertainty. A survey by Afterpay found that 38% of shoppers are already feeling financially stressed, and 35% are worried about their ability to purchase holiday gifts. Still, many people plan to spend: 25% of respondents expect to set aside at least $1,000 for holiday shopping.
Because many retailers now change prices in real time and run overlapping sales, a 2024 Gartner survey found that 68% of consumers say they feel “taken advantage of” when brands use dynamic pricing.
Despite the chaos of early sales and fluctuating sales, there are some deals worth nabbing. Here’s what to buy and what to wait for.
What’s worth buying this week?
Historically, strong Black Friday deals have included:
- TVs and electronics, which are often subsidized and usually have their lowest prices until next November. According to Popular Mechanics, now is the time to upgrade a home theater with multiple TVs at a deep discount for 2025.
- According to Forbes, it’s small kitchen appliances — Instant Pots, air fryers, blenders — that tend to see the biggest discounts.
- According to TechRadar, large appliances like refrigerators, washers, and dryers often reach their lowest prices during Black Friday season.
Items to be banned include:
- According to the Crazy Coupon Lady, clearance cycles for some clothing and toys often start in January and some toys are better discounted in December or right before Christmas rather than on Black Friday.
- As detailed in an article from Everyday Health, fitness equipment and seasonal items often see huge markdowns around the New Year.
- Mattresses are usually at a better deal on Presidents Day, according to a 2022 Consumer Reports article, although results vary by brand and model.
Shoppers who want to verify whether a deal is really good can use price-tracking tools. CamelCamelCamel tracks millions of Amazon products and shows their full price history, making it easy to see if the discount is real or just a temporary drop. Honey, known for its automatic coupon finder, also offers a price-tracking feature that works at many major online retailers. Additional tools and options – including comprehensive multi-retailer trackers – are highlighted in a detailed list by Scrapless.
According to a recent BCG Consumer Report, awareness of major sales events remains very high: 96% for Black Friday (up 1 point from 2024), 84% for Cyber Monday (up 2 points) and nearly 33% for Singles Day (up six points). Despite ongoing geopolitical and economic uncertainty, 79% of consumers who learned about the discount say they intend to make a purchase.
Last year’s data also shows how powerful flexible payments has become. During the 2024 holiday shopping season, Afterpay users made $5.1 billion in sales, while retailers saw a 33% increase in spending compared to 2023.
“Consumers are approaching this holiday season with both caution and determination,” said Tanuj Parikh, head of commercial, North America, Cash App Commerce.
“With shoppers challenged by economic uncertainty and price fluctuations over the past year, the demand for more choice and flexibility at checkout has never been greater. Fortunately, today’s consumers have access to more financial tools than ever before, many of which are right on their smartphones, empowering them to effectively manage their budgets and make confident decisions, ensuring they can still enjoy their holiday season.”
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