Black Friday Tips, Tricks and Trends

Black Friday 2010 is almost upon us – one of the biggest shopping occasions of the year and the unofficial start to the Christmas shopping season, it falls on the Friday after Thanksgiving, and this year it’s on November 26. While it’s not uncommon to see throngs of shoppers lining up outside popular stores on Black Friday for a chance to score sweet deals on big-ticket items such as the newest electronics and appliances, for many people nowadays it makes much more sense to look for Black Friday online deals and shop from the comfort of home. If you’re wondering where and what the hottest Thanksgiving specials are on the Internet, check out some of these shopping tips and ideas.WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR THIS BLACK FRIDAY 2010If you’re a newbie to Black Friday shopping, it can be a little overwhelming figuring out where to start looking for deals and discounts. If you’re not up for the early-morning lines and stampede at a brick-and-mortar store, and are looking instead for the best Cyber Monday discounts on the Internet, one of the best ways is to decide your must-haves list and search from there.But if you’re just a gadget addict looking out for top deals, here are a few ideas on what to look out for this Thanksgiving 2010. Touch-screen phones & smartphones: The Apple iPhone 4 is likely to be one of the most sought-after items this Christmas season, but if you’re not tied to a brand, Black Friday might be a good time to look for an alternative touch-screen phone brand as many of them are packed with features and also more likely to be discounted. Look for brands like HTC, Samsung and Nokia.
Flat screen TVs: Whether you’re looking for a plasma, LCD or even a projection TV, each season there are bigger and better discounts as new models come out, so make a beeline for this popular item this Thanksgiving! Scope out retailers such as Buy.com and look out for deals on quality brands like the Panasonic Viera.
Tablet PCs & netbooks: Portable, slim and light computers are in high demand, so there ought to be great Black Friday sales out there on items like the Partner Tech EM-200 Tablet PC.TIPS AND TRICKS TO SURVIVING THE THANKSGIVING SHOPPING WEEKENDEven with all the deals available out there, it’s totally possible to overspend during the Black Friday sales, especially if you find it difficult to resist shiny new things and big bold “SALE!” signs. So how do you keep a tight rein on your expenses? Shop online: Since you’ll be able to compare prices easily and will be able to evaluate your purchase before checking out, shopping online is a terrific way to make sure you stay on budget and save money.
Coupons: Even if products are already heavily discounted for Black Friday, there’s a good chance that you’ll still be able to use some online coupon codes to save more on your purchase. There’s no harm trying them at the checkout!
Best price guarantees: Pay special attention to retailers and online payment services that offer low price guarantees and take advantage of the offer. This way if the price drops, you’ll be covered and get money back for the difference. Read the small print, so you know the policy.
Gift cards: When all else fails and you didn’t manage to nab that amazing Black Friday deal for your loved one’s Christmas gift, try giving them a rain check in the form of a gift card and they can always check back later for a good price on that hot item they wanted. It’s also a good way to ensure you don’t spend more than planned on an item since you will be predetermining the value of the gift card.