Some stores, like Best Buy and Target, said they will be handing out tickets to customers in line for doorbuster items. No ticket means no item. So while the retails hope this will avoid stampedes, with few items in stock that will mean a lot of unhappy customers.
That’s why Mickey Allen, 48, of Hamilton, said he is doing his shopping now.
“I went to Black Friday once. All they had left was (junk) and who wants the disappointment?” he said. “I’d rather pay more and sleep more.”
Shopping online
Online shopping can save you time and sleep on Black Friday, as many retailers will offer some of their deals on their Web site. However, realize that some items will go quickly and it could be months before you receive it.
Case in point: Sears last year offered its Black Friday doorbuster deal on a Kenmore washer-dryer pair for $600 online. Although the retailer advertised “limited quantities,” it tried to honor every customer order. However, the end result was that production was unable to meet the demand, so customers waited months before their order was shipped while others were sent comparable models instead.
Other vendors plan to capitalize on the online mayhem this year.
Walmart Stores Inc. has set it sights of beating out Amazon.com in terms of online shopping market share. The company said it was the No. 1 online retailer Thanksgiving Day last year and plans to keep up that pace with special sales and deals throughout the holiday season.
On turkey day, CEO Raul Vazquez said he expects more than 10 million visits to the Walmart Web site as shoppers scoop up its 50 online-only items, including toys and electronics discounted up to 40 percent.
Many stores, such as Staples, Target, Best Buy and Circuit City, offered Black Friday deals online, saving customers from waiting in line at the store. However, high-ticket items like computers and TVs sell out quickly, making it imperative to still get up early and wait for the sale to be offered. Some stores, like Walmart, will begin its online sale at about 1 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, while others will wait until Friday to offer the special pricing.
Online retailers, such as Amazon.com and Dell, also are expected to begin offering deals early Thanksgiving Day.
To find out what stores will be offering deals online, check out www.blackfriday.info/online for continual updates on what will be available.
Hot ticket items
High-Definition TVs remain the No. 1 electronic gift, and Target and Walmart are going head-to-head for the lowest-priced doorbuster.
This year, Walmart is advertising an Emerson 32-inch LCD 720p HDTV for $248 and an Emerson 42-inch Plasma 720p HDTV for $448.
Meanwhile, Target will have a Westinghouse 32-inch 720p LCD HDTV for $246 and an Apex 40-inch 1080p LCD HDTV for $449, a great buy since it offers the highest HD resolution available.
But if you want to beat the holiday rush, Best Buy has its Dynex 32-inch 720p LCD HDTV listed for $299.99 and Dynex 40-inch 1080p LCD HDTV for $499.99 on sale right now. Buy it online and choose to have it delivered to the store to avoid shipping charges.
Dan Gunther, 27, of Fairfield said he plans to wait in line rain or shine for deals on Black Friday, especially the TVs.
“I want to get one for my parents. My siblings and I are all splitting up and whoever gets the TV that day, it will be the one they get for Christmas,” he said.
Sarah Riley, 38, of Middletown said she has a different strategy.
“I troll the Web sites on Thanksgiving and Black Friday,” she said. “Sitting at the computer in my PJs sure beats waiting in line.”
Chances are a Zhu Zhu Pet — the popular robotic hamster toy — or a Snuggie blanket will be under your Christmas tree this year as Panjiva, an analyst firm, said it has seen a dramatic increase in the retail stock-up on these items. This is despite retailers saying they would keep their merchandising levels lean this year after being stuck with unwanted items after the holiday rush last year.
To get an idea of where to find hot ticket items at the best price, visit bfads.net. The Black Friday Ads site posts inserts as they are released and includes spreadsheets that outline which retailers have the best merchandise at the best price.
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