More than half of Americans (an estimated 137.4 million people) will be heading to the stores to shop sometime during Thanksgiving weekend, according the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics.
Though the shopping extends all weekend, Black Friday remains the most heavily shopped day. This year is already shaping up to be an interesting year -- one that could lead to a few in-store battles over scarce items and one with bad deals masquerading as doorbusters on some of the most wanted items.
Sometimes getting a better deal means giving up a few fancy upgrades. Here are a few products that may turn out to be better deal if you downgrade, according to the pros at Dealnews :
Apple Watch Series 2 v. Apple Watch Series 1: Target and Kohl's are both attempting to pass of their Apple Watch Series 2 pricing at $369.99 as a deal, but this is the same price that Apple currently charges for the Series 2, reports DealNews. If you must have an Apple Watch, skip this deal and go for a Series 1 which will cost $198 at Target, the first real deal that Dealnews has seen since it was announced.
Amazon Echo v. Amazon Dot: Amazon is offering the Echo for $139.99. While the deal allows you to save $40, it isn't the best deal that has been reported. It dropped to $120 at one point. Instead you could venture into Alexa's world with the Amazon Echo Dotfor $39.99 at Amazon. It is $10 less than the normal price and the lowest price spotted by Dealnews so far.
Keurig Brewers: The Keurig K200 Brewer is advertised at $79.99 at Target, but Dealnews tracked the same machine for less money at Target last Black Friday. It cost $75, and it was bundled with a $15 gift card. If you have your heart set on a Keurig brewer look at the Keurig OfficePRO K145 Brewer with $15 Gift Card for $79.99 at Staples or the Keurig K50 Coffeemaker in Black with $15 Gift Card for $79.99 at Best Buy. (Target also offers this model it for the same price, also with a $15 gift card.)
Hatchimals: There is no substitute for these furry hatchable creatures that are described as a cross between a Furby and a Tamagotchi (except maybe a Furby or a Tamagotchi), but since they have already sold out in-stores and online, it is worth mentioning you might get one. According to a message to consumers on the website , it won't be easy to get a Hatchimal before 2017:
"Some of our first shipments have already sold out. While additional product will hit retail shelves in November, we anticipate this inventory will also sell out quickly. We have increased production and a whole new batch of Hatchimals will be ready to hatch in early 2017. This is a special season and we don't want anyone to be disappointed, nor do we support inflated prices from non-authorized resellers."
Some retailers are offering rainchecks or pre-orders, but if you want that creature for Christmas, Dealnews says you may have a shot at getting one during Black Friday sales at Wal-Mart. The retailer has confirmed that it has some of the toys in stock but was naturally evasive about how many are available. Dealnews pros suggest going online when the discounts start. If you are lucky, you could get one for as little as $48.88 -- a pretty good discount off the $60 retail price and certainly less than the $200 some unauthorized resellers are asking online.
Read more of Dealnews' Master List of EVERY 2016 Black Friday Ad Worth Buying This Week .
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