WebProNews

Tag: Black Friday

  • Cyber Monday 2014: Sears and Kmart

    Sears and Kmart’s Cyber Week deals start Sunday, Nov. 30 at midnight, and run until Saturday, Dec. 6 at 11:59 p.m.

    Sears has been losing money and closing department stores as of late, and the multinational department store chain based in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, also owns Kmart, which has likewise been losing money. During the three months before November 2, Sears saw losses of $534 million, or $5.03 per share. A year earlier, the company lost $498 million, or $4.70 per share, in the same time frame.

    The two sister companies interchangeably allow free in-store pick-up at any of the remaining 1,800 Sears or Kmart locations nationwide. Shipping is free for orders at $59 or more.

    Notable Sears Deals include:

    – A Kenmore 25 cu. ft. side-by side stainless steel refrigerator for $819.99
    – A Kenmore high-efficiency top-load washer and dryer for $449.88 each
    – A Samsung Bagless Upright Vacuum with Motion Sync Design for $174.99
    – A Samsung 60″ 1080p 240Hz Ultra Slim 3D LED Full HD Smart TV for $1299.99
    – A Samsung 55″ Class 1080p LED Smart HDTV for $799.99

    Notable Kmart deals include:

    – A Sanyo 50″ Class 1080p 60Hz LED HDTV $429.99
    – An RCA 46″ LED TV for $349.99
    – A Westinghouse LED 39″ HDTV 1080p 120Hz for $249.99
    – 50 percent off Hasbro games
    – A Craftsman 42 piece 1/4-inch and 3/8-inch Drive Bit and Torx Bit Socket Wrench Set for $29.99
    – Up to 40 percent off Joe Boxer apparel for the family plus save 15 to 25 percent off with code CYBER25

    Some Sears Black Friday 2013 mayhem:

    Hedge fund billionaire Eddie Lampert, chairman and CEO of Sears, has shifted the focus of the company toward building upon its ‘Shop Your Way’ program, which caters to loyal customers. Under-performing stores are being shut down, including the location at the Fayette Mall in Lexington, Kentucky. At present, the ‘Shop Your Way’ members-only program accounts for 70% of Sears sales, up from 65% last year.

    “The focus is less on selling products and just running stores,” Lampert said. “But serving members first.” During the last quarter, revenue fell 7% to $8.27 billion, mostly due to fewer Sears and Kmart stores in operation. Still, revenue at the stores still open, which indicates a retailer’s health, fell 3.1%.

  • Cyber Monday 2014: Walmart Deals

    Cyber Monday 2014: Walmart Deals

    Cyber Monday, the Monday after the Thanksgiving holiday, was a term coined in 2005, as a marketing ploy to encourage consumers to shop for their wares online.

    In 2013, Cyber Monday online sales grew by 20.6% over 2012, hitting a record $2.29 billion, with an average order of $128.

    Walmart has posted its Cyber Monday deals online, and is offering free shipping for any order exceeding $50.

    Notable Walmart Cyber Monday deals include:

    – An Apple iPad mini 16GB Wi-Fi (Space Gray or White) for $219.99
    – A Neato XV-21 Pet and Allergy Robotic Vacuum for $269.99
    – An RCA 10.1″ Tablet 16GB Quad Core Bonus Keyboard/Case for $99.99
    – A SCEPTRE 40″ LED Class 1080P HDTV with ultra slim metal brush bezel, 60Hz for $219.00
    – An HP Natural Silver 17.3″ Pavilion Laptop PC with AMD Quad-Core Processor, 4GB Memory, 750GB Hard Drive and Windows 8.1 for $398.00
    – A Straight Talk Apple iPhone 5C LTE 8GB Prepaid Smartphone for $299.00
    – A Monster M7 7″ Tablet 16GB Memory Dual Core for $79.99
    – A Samsung 55″ 1080p 240Hz Class LED Smart HDTV for $997.99

    The Walmart Black Friday 2014 memory card battle:

    In related news, Walmart, the world’s largest company by revenue, the largest private employer globally, with over two million employees, and the largest retailer in the world, saw its largest organized protest on Black Friday since it was founded by Sam Walton in 1962.

    Over 1,600 demonstrators were unified by the Organization United for Respect at Walmart (OUR Walmart). The protesters appeared at various Walmart locations, demanding a $15 per hour minimum wage, and more consistent full-time opportunities.

    “We’re a grassroots movement,” Abby Friend, a protester from Cincinnati remarked. “We’re here today as a group of concerned consumers.”

    Military police had to step in to secure a safe shopping experience during the Black Friday event at a Walmart in Ferguson, Missouri:

    Walmart recently announced in a statement that it received more than 500 million page views and the highest online sales day ever on Thanksgiving this year, second only to Cyber Monday 2013.

  • Cyber Monday 2014: Best Buy Deals

    Cyber Monday, the Monday after the Thanksgiving holiday, was a term coined in 2005, as a marketing ploy to encourage consumers to shop for their wares online.

    In 2013, Cyber Monday online sales grew by 20.6% over 2012, hitting a record $2.29 billion, with an average order of $128.

    Best Buy posted its Cyber Monday deals on its site – though there might be a catch. Bestbuy.com went offline twice for roughly an hour on Black Friday, due to an overload of mobile traffic. Online consumers were greeted with the message, “We’re sorry. Best Buy.com is currently unavailable. Come Back Soon.”

    A representative for Best Buy said in a statement that the site was shut down due to a “concentrated spike in mobile traffic triggered issues.” Consumers took to Twitter to vent their frustration over the site being offline:

    Black Friday is second only to Cyber Monday in regards to online shopping. If the big-box retailer can keep its online marketplace open, the following notable deals can be had:

    – A Sharp 42″ Class LED 1080p HDTV for $299.99
    – A Canon EOS Rebel T3i DSLR Camera with 18-55mm IS Lens for $449.99
    – An Asus 15.6″ Laptop – Intel Core i5 – 4GB Memory – 500GB Hard Drive for $399.99
    – A Lenovo S8-50 Tablet – 16GB for $159.99
    – A T-Mobile Prepaid Nokia Lumia 530 No-Contract Cell Phone for $34.99

  • Black Friday 2014: The Best Deals

    Black Friday 2014: The Best Deals

    Black Friday, which historically has occurred on the day after Thanksgiving (the fourth Thursday of November), is often regarded as the beginning of the holiday shopping season.

    Some of the most notable deals from various businesses include:

    Best Buy, which opens at 8 a.m., local time, and closes at 10 p.m.:

    – a Panasonic 50″ Class LED 1080p HDTV for $199.99
    – a 15.6″ Dell Touch Screen Laptop for $299.99
    – a 7″ DigiLand Quad-Core Tablet for $39.99
    – a Samsung 55″ Class LED 4K Ultra HD Smart TV for $899.99

    Regarding the 50″ Panasonic HDTV for $199.99, a Greenville, South Carolina man has been spotted camping outside a Best Buy store since Monday, in hopes of snagging the television.

    Kohl’s Black Friday deals include:

    – a Toshiba 40″ 1080p LED HDTV for $329.99
    – a 7″ Polaroid Tablet for $59.99
    – a Beats Pill 2.0 Portable Bluetooth Speaker System for $179.99
    – a Toshiba 50″ 1080p 120Hz LED HDTV with Smart TV for $549.99
    – a Vizio 15.6″ Thin + Light Ultrabook Laptop for $1,169.99

    Walmart’s Black Friday event commences at 6 a.m., and lasts through the weekend. Select merchandise is 30% off from 6 a.m. until noon. Items include Samsung TV’s and home audio, all music CD’s and all artificial Christmas trees and lights.

    Black Friday Walmart deals include 20% off all firearms, 30% off all hunting apparel and discounts on Goodyear tires.

    Notable Sears Black Friday deals include:

    – an RCA 52′ 1080p HDTV for $379.99
    – an RCA 40″ 1080p HDTV for $249.99
    – a Kenmore stainless steel refrigerator for $999.99
    – a Kenmore washer/dryer duo for $799.98

    Home Depot is selling poinsettias for $.99 all day, and expects to move roughly 3.75 million of the plants this Black Friday.

    Lowe’s is offering:

    – a GT 35-inch steel firepit for $39
    – a Studio Sync Speaker Shelf for $49.98
    – a SHOP-VAC 12-gallon 6.0 PEAK HP VAC for $39.98
    – a 6.5-foot Pre-Lit Color Changing LED Artificial Tree for $59

    Here enthusiastic consumers challenge one another over underwear:

    Amazon’s electronics deals include:

    – a Samsung 40-inch Smart 1080p LED TV for $328
    – a Samsung 55-inch Curved Smart 4K Ultra HD LED TV for $1,298.

  • Best Buy Black Friday 2014 Deals

    Best Buy Black Friday 2014 Deals

    Black Friday, a ritual when ravenous consumers hoard big-box retailers to secure their deals, is right around the corner, and Best Buy is offering deals online now, and will commence in-store deals on Thanksgiving day.

    The online deals are now live, and the in-store doorbusters begin on Thursday at 5 p.m., local time, and over 1,000 stores in 47 states (Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island have laws against this) will be open until 1 a.m. on Black Friday. The stores will reopen at 8 a.m., and close at 10 p.m.

    On Monday, employees of roughly 1,400 Best Buy stores were running mock drills of how to handle the hoards of consumers that will be present on Black Friday. About ten sales associates per store are designated to plainly replenish holes in stock laid out on the sales floor, and all employees are permitted to wear their most comfortable footwear, as opposed to their normal black shoes.

    Online electronics deals include:

    – An LG 49″ Class LED 1080p HDTV for $399.99
    – A VIZIO P-Series 65″ Class LED 2160p Smart 4K Ultra HDTV for $1499.99
    – A GoPro HERO4 Black 4K Action Camera & Free $20 Best Buy Gift Card for $499.99
    – A Sony 40″ Class LED 1080p 60Hz HDTV for $299.99

    In-store deals will include:

    – A Panasonic 50″ Class LED 1080p HDTV for $199.99
    – A 15.6″ Dell Touch Screen Laptop for $299.99
    – A 7″ DigiLand Quad-Core Tablet for $39.99
    – A Samsung 55″ Class LED 4K Ultra HD Smart TV for $899.99

    Regarding the 50″ Panasonic HDTV for $199.99, a Greenville, South Carolina man has been spotted camping outside a Best Buy store since Monday, in hopes of snagging the television. Brian McCauley, who is posted up in a lawn chair, commented, “Well, it’s a spur of the moment thing for me. I just packed a bag with some ravioli in it, some Chef Boyardee, a couple of hoodies, a jacket, that’s about it.”

    Below is a clip of some Black Friday mayhem, as enthusiastic customers hope to achieve shopping success:

  • Kohl’s Black Friday Sales for 2014

    Kohl’s Black Friday Sales for 2014

    Black Friday, a ritual when ravenous consumers hoard big-box retailers to secure their deals, is right around the corner, and Kohl’s is offering deals online now, and will commence in-store deals on Thanksgiving day.

    The online deals will run through 3 p.m. CST on Friday, and the in-store doorbusters begin on Thursday at 6 p.m., local time.

    Electronics deals include:

    -A Toshiba 40″ 1080p LED HDTV for $329.99
    -A 7″ Polaroid Tablet for $59.99
    – A Beats Pill 2.0 Portable Bluetooth Speaker System for $179.99
    – A Toshiba 50″ 1080p 120Hz LED HDTV with Smart TV for $549.99
    – A Vizio 15.6″ Thin + Light Ultrabook Laptop for $1,169.99

    Kohl’s is also offering $15 in “Kohl’s Cash” for every $50 spent, through November 30.

    The Kohl’s department store chain began as a “Kohl” supermarket in 1946, and its first big-box retail establishment opened in 1962. Kohl’s presently sees the second most retail sales of any department store in the U.S.

    In related Kohl’s news, a Texas man was banned from the store’s website for extreme price matching activities. Many businesses are now price matching their wares against other advertisements, but Israel Mata attempted to buy six $1200 chests of drawers from Kohl’s for $79 each.

    Mata found a promotion for the drawers on a website for $109, and along with a Kohl’s 30% discount, each piece cost only $79. Kohl’s shipped three, and then blocked Mata’s account.

    “They told me due to the fact that I price matched so much that they decided to ban me and freeze my account,” Mata said.

    Below is a clip of some Black Friday mayhem, as enthusiastic customers hope to achieve shopping success:

    Incidentally, Kohl’s incorporates a “racetrack” aisle that circles the entire store, a technique adopted from discount establishments.

    Let the games begin:

  • Black Friday 2014: Walmart Doorbusters

    Black Friday 2014: Walmart Doorbusters

    Black Friday, a ritual when ravenous consumers hoard big-box retailers to secure their deals, is right around the corner, and WalMart is offering deals in three phases.

    Event One occurs on Thursday, November 27, between 6 and 7 p.m. Deals in this time slot include:

    – A 50″ LED TV for $218
    – An iPad Mini 16GB with Wi-fi for $199
    – A 65″ Vizio 1080p LED TV for $648
    – An XBOX ONE including the Halo Master Chief Bundle for $329

    Event two occurs on Thursday, November 27, between 8 and 9 p.m.

    – A Samsung 40″ 1080p 60Hz LED HDTV for $297.99
    – A 60″ Element HDTV for $498
    – An HP Laptop for $159
    – A 32″ LED HDTV for $98
    – A Beats Pill for $89.95

    Event three occurs on Black Friday, and commences at 6 a.m., and lasts through the weekend. Select merchandise is 30% off from 6 a.m. until noon. Items include Samsung TV’s and home audio, all music CD’s and all artificial Christmas trees and lights.

    Black Friday Walmart deals include 20% off all firearms, 30% off all hunting apparel and discounts on Goodyear tires.

    Black Friday, which historically has occurred on the day after Thanksgiving (the fourth Thursday of November), is often regarded as the beginning of the holiday shopping season.

    Below is a clip of enthusiastic consumers, hoping to achieve Black Friday shopping success:

    Interestingly, according to data gathered by Silk, 66% of the 89 reported Black Friday injuries since 2006 happened in Walmart.

    In related Walmart news, chief merchandising officer Duncan MacNaughton unexpectedly resigned, just days before the Black Friday event. It was revealed in a company memo that MacNaughton decided to leave the global retailer “to pursue new opportunities.” His replacement has yet to be named.

  • Walmart Black Friday: Check Out Their Deals

    Walmart Black Friday: Check Out Their Deals

    Walmart Black Friday is practically an entity in itself. People who wouldn’t step foot in the store the rest of the year often peruse fliers, map out shopping strategies, and grace its aisles on Black Friday. And this year’s Walmart Black Friday deals don’t disappoint either. Of course one must take into consideration that they might be taking their well-being into their own hands, as brawls have actually broken out over some of these Walmart Black Friday deals in the past.

    Walmart is rolling out its doorbusters in “Events,” or specified chunks of time once again this year. Event 1 begins at 6:00 PM local time on Thanksgiving evening. Event 2 starts at 8:00 PM, and Event 3 kicks off the ‘official’ start to Black Friday at 6:00 AM. This means if shoppers want items that go on sale at 6:00 PM Thursday, as well as items that are reduced at 6:00 AM Friday, then they’d best be prepared to hang out at Walmart for a while.

    One big plus for shoppers who head out to shop the Walmart Black Friday sales is the return of their 1-Hour Guaranteed Doorbusters. Those brave (crazy?) enough to brave the crowds from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM are guaranteed to nab the advertised coveted item. If the item sells out before they get their hands on it, Walmart guarantees they will get it to them by Christmas at the doorbuster price. Make note that this is only for Event 1. This guarantee doesn’t apply to the remainder of the Walmart Black Friday sales.

    You can check out Walmart Black Friday deals online, too. Shoppers can even stay connected to Walmart deals with a special app for their phones.

    So what’s on sale?

    1. Vizio 65″ 1080p Smart LED LCD HDTV for $648
    2. Element 60″ 1080p LED LCD HDTV for $498
    3. HP Intel Celeron 15.6″ Laptop for $159
    4. Xbox One Halo: The Master Chief Collection Bundle with a $30 Walmart Gift Card for $329
    5. Beats by Dr. Dre Wireless Bluetooth Headphones for $149
    6. RCA 7″ 8GB Android Tablet for $29
    7. Fitbit Flex Wireless Wristband for $69
    8. 4-Burner Gas Grill with Side Burner for $99
    9. Dyson DC33 Multi-Floor Bagless Upright Vacuum for $199
    10. Rachel Ray 15-Piece Porcelain Enamel Nonstick Cookware Set for $89

    If you see something here that’s on your holiday shopping list, check out your Walmart Black Friday ads and make both your list and your shopping schedule. You’re sure to score something spectacular–and save money, too–if you’re ready and willing to brave the insanity.

  • Google Search Adds Mobile Black Friday Feature

    Google announced the addition of a new Black Friday feature to Google Search on mobile devices. The company notes that a lot of people will be standing in line at stores using their phones this weekend, so this will cater to them.

    Users will be able to search for specific products on their phones (or tablets) and get more detailed information, including where to buy it, which stores have it available, and product reviews from customers. This includes rotating images that let you get a 360-degree view.

    “It used to be that heading out to stores on Black Friday — one of the biggest holiday shopping days of the season — was the best way to find great deals,” says product manager Jennifer Liu. “Now, we may be carrying the best tool for finding deals in our pockets.”

    “This coming weekend, expect to see many of your fellow shoppers checking for deals on their smartphones while braving the lines and crowds at the mall,’ Liu adds. “Nearly 50% of 25-34 year-olds use their phone to shop online while standing in line at a store. And because we want to help you research products more easily this holiday weekend, we’re rolling out new mobile features to Google Shopping.”

    According to Google, 27% of shoppers have already begun looking for Black Friday deals online. The top questions Google is seeing include: What time do stores open on Black Friday?; What time does Black Friday start?; When does Black Friday end?; and What to buy on black friday.

    Google shares more related trends here.

    Image via Google

  • Sears Black Friday 2014 Deals Online

    Black Friday, a ritual when ravenous consumers hoard big-box retailers to secure their deals, is right around the corner, though Sears customers can now shop for doorbusters online.

    Black Friday, which historically has occurred on the day after Thanksgiving (the fourth Thursday of November), is often regarded as the beginning of the holiday shopping season.

    In order to compete with other businesses, Sears Outlet Stores began selling products at advertised Black Friday pricing on November 21. The promotion runs through November 26, and will Sears will likewise match the prices of local competitor’s ads.

    Bruce Johnson, president and CEO of Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, Inc., said in a press release, “with every retailer offering special low discounts right after Thanksgiving, shoppers get caught in a chaotic frenzy. We wanted to give customers an opportunity to shop confidently and know they have an opportunity to price match if the item they bought on our website is cheaper in a Black Friday ad.”

    Johnson added, “at Sears Outlet Stores, consumers can find great deals on everything from home appliances and tools to lawn and garden equipment and sporting goods at significantly reduced prices. Now, they have the opportunity to save even more on products that are important to home and family life.”

    In related news, below is a clip of enthusiastic consumers, hoping to achieve Black Friday shopping success:

    Notable Sears Black Friday deals include:

    – an RCA 52′ 1080p HDTV for $379.99
    – an RCA 40″ 1080p HDTV for $249.99
    – A Kenmore stainless steel refrigerator for $999.99
    – A Kenmore washer/dryer duo for $799.98

    Hedge fund billionaire Eddie Lampert, chairman and CEO of Sears, has shifted the focus of the company toward building upon its ‘Shop Your Way’ program, which caters to loyal customers. Under-performing stores have been shut down, including the location at the Fayette Mall in Lexington, Kentucky. At present, the ‘Shop Your Way’ members-only program accounts for 70% of Sears sales.

    –

  • Sears Black Friday Ad: The Sale Starts Now

    Sears Black Friday Ad: The Sale Starts Now

    If you are in a hurry to get your Christmas shopping done and are nervous about getting all those deals on Black Friday, don’t worry because Sears already has many of their Black Friday items available.

    Sears announced that they would be offering Black Friday pricing on a select number of products from November 21 to November 26 and if you don’t want to leave your family to shop on Thanksgiving, you might want to take advantage of the sales.

    Appliances, including washers, dryers and dishwashers are up to 60% off. This sale includes top names like Samsung and Maytag. Small appliances such as coffee makers and toasters are also on sale.

    If you are looking for large items such as furniture, you can find reclining chairs as low as $159 and sectionals as low at $1300.

    Sears is also offering a great deal on electronics with earbuds as low as $4.99 and wireless headphones as low as $14.99.

    Don’t forget to check out the great deals on sporting goods as well. Basketballs, footballs and soccer balls are as low a $4.99.

    The company chose to offer their Black Friday prices now to help customers who want to get the best deals but don’t want to leave their families during the holidays.

    “With every retailer offering special low discounts right after Thanksgiving, shoppers get caught in a chaotic frenzy. We wanted to give customers an opportunity to shop confidently and know they have an opportunity to price match if the item they bought on our website is cheaper in a Black Friday ad,” said Bruce Johnson, president and CEO of Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, Inc. “At Sears Outlet Stores, consumers can find great deals on everything from home appliances and tools to lawn and garden equipment and sporting goods at significantly reduced prices. Now, they have the opportunity to save even more on products that are important to home and family life.”

    Do you think other stores should start offering their sales and Black Friday prices ahead of time instead of the usual Black Friday times?

  • Kohl’s Black Friday 2014: The Top Deals

    Kohl’s Black Friday 2014: The Top Deals

    Black Friday seems to be becoming a thing of the past. This year, as in recent years, many retailers are opening on Thanksgiving evening, now known as Gray Thursday. Big Lots, J.C. Penny, Kmart, Macy’s, Sears, Target, and more are getting an early jump on the Christmas shopping season.

    Kohl’s Black Friday 2014 is another hot topic with the retailer offering significant discounts on everything including toys like Playskool and Fisher-Price and fashion brands like Juicy Couture and Simply Vera Wang.

    The top five items at Kohl’s span a variety of areas including housewares, electronics, and jewelry. They are:

    * choice of 15-piece Farberware or 22-piece Kitchen a la Carte cutlery set for $19.99
    * T-fal Inspirations 20-piece cookware set for $49.99 (after mail-in rebate)
    * 32-inch Direct LED HDTV for $99.99 (regularly $199.99, no rain checks, limit one per customer)
    * 1/2 ct. t.w. diamond earrings in 10k gold for $179.99 (regularly $600.00, no rain checks)
    * KitchenAid Artisan stand mixer for $299.99 (after mail-in rebate)

    Other notable deals include:

    * The Big One Super-Soft plush throw for $8.99 (regularly $39.99)
    * HP G2 7-inch tablet with quad-core processor for $99.99 (regularly $119.99)
    * HP Deskjet 2544 all-in-one printer for $29.99 (regularly $79.99)
    * Nintendo 3DS XL bundle with Mario Party Island Tour Game for $149.99 (regularly $219.99)
    * Citizen watches for $89.99 each (regularly $205-298)
    * Prodigy Vector 3-piece hardside luggage set for $99.99 (regularly $369.99)
    * The Big One gel memory foam mattress topper for $27.00 (regularly $79.99-109.99)
    * Apt. 9 premium leather gloves for her for $9.99 (regularly $50.00)
    * 50% off all toys

    Along with special deals, Kohl’s is offering $15 worth of “Kohl’s cash” for every $50 spent Monday, November 24 – Sunday, November 30 with coupon redeemable December 1 – 8.

    See the full Kohl’s Black Friday 2014 ad here.

    As always, customers should look for fine print including whether or not rain checks are offered and if prices apply to online or in-store purchases only.

    Kohl’s will be open starting at 6:00 p.m on Thursday, November 27 and the doorbuster sales will run until 1:00 p.m. Friday.

  • Amazon Starts Black Friday Deals Early

    Amazon Starts Black Friday Deals Early

    Amazon announced that it’s starting its Black Friday deals early. In fact, they’re starting a week early on November 21.

    The company will be adding new deals every ten minutes for eight straight days, so people are going to be spending a lot of time over the next week checking Amazon.

    They’ll introduce three “coveted” Deals of the Day starting on Thanksgiving at midnight, and then three more on Black Friday itself. This is in addition to thousands of limited-time “Lightning Deals” that will appear on amazon.com/blackfriday.

    “Our customers are redefining Black Friday shopping. They want to stay home with family, enjoy some turkey and football and shop the hottest deals from their phone, tablet or PC,” said Steve Shure, Amazon Vice President Worldwide Marketing. “Starting November 21, we will add new deals as often as every 10 minutes, for eight days, including tech, toys, tools and more.”

    Customers can also give to charity while doing their Black Friday shopping. If you go to smile.amazon.com/blackfriday, you can find the same deals, but with the bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase to charity.

    For today only, Amazon Appstore is offering SpinArt for free. Starting on Thanksgiving, it will offer a free app of the day bundle, featuring over $115 in paid apps and games.

    Image via Amazon

  • Target Black Friday 2014: Maybe the Cheapest HDTV Deal Around

    Black Friday 2014 will see one of the best deals on an HDTV. It can be found at Target … but not in the store.

    Target is offering a Black Friday 2014 deal on an Element 40-inch 1080p LED/LCD TV for $119. However, (here’s the catch) it’s only offered as an online “doorbuster” deal with limited quantities and no rain checks.

    Walmart is selling a similar model for $298.

    Although Element is a secondary brand that can mainly be found at retailers like Target and Walmart, the Target Black Friday deal is still one of the best out there as for as televisions go. It even beats Best Buy’s 40-inch Insignia 1090p LCD HDTV for $180.

    But the 40-inch Element isn’t the only Black Friday 2014 television deal that Target will be offering. Opening at 6:00 p.m. on Thanksgiving night, Target will also be offering the following:

    * a 29-inch Element 1080p LED/LCD TV for $79 (one of the cheapest ever listed)
    * a 39-inch Vizio 60Hz 720p LED/LCD TV for $220.
    * A 48-inch Westinghouse 60Hz 1080p LED/LCD for $235 (special online-only purchase)
    * A 55-inch Westinghouse 60Hz 1080p LED/LCD, model DWM55F1G1 for $395.

    Needing add-ons for your TV? Target has those, too.

    A Google Chromecast media streamer will sell for $25, ten dollars less than the normal cost. Also, an Apple TV will go for $89 and a Sony Blu-ray player will be offered for $50.

    Another special Target Black Friday 2014 deal is less about the savings and more about what you get back. Customers will receive a free Target gift card when they purchase any iPad mini or iPad air at regular price. For example, if you buy an iPad mini 16GB with Wi-Fi you would receive an $80 gift card to use on other purchases. An iPad Air 2 16GB with Wi-Fi would give you a $140 gift card. This is a fairly good deal considering that Apple is always reluctant to reduce the prices on its products.

  • Black Friday Deals? Cyber Monday May Be The Better Bargain

    For years, holiday shoppers have planned out survival guides for the formidable Black Friday.

    Some think of Black Friday as proof positive that the Christmas season is one big ode to hypocrisy.

    However, for many years it has been the day that many stores have strongly relied on to bring their sales figures into the black (hence the name).

    But a new challenger has appeared in recent years.

    Cyber Monday isn’t so much threatening stores (at least those with online sales services available), as a possible signal that we’re on the verge of a paradigm shift.

    Last year, more people were said to have shopped online than in brick-and-mortar stores for the first time in history.

    Positive response to Cyber Monday deals is aided by the convenience of shopping at home during one’s leisure time.

    Compare this with Black Friday, where shoppers are expected to wake up in the middle of the night, stumble to the store, and then physically fight over a discounted appliance.

    The madness associated with Black Friday sales has long been a heavy criticism of the event.

    There have been injuries, deaths, and numerous arrests associated with the yearly sales event.

    If this weren’t bad enough, last year there was a terrible hacking scandal at retailer Target right before Black Friday. This event involved the stealing of hundreds of thousands of customers’ credit card information.

    There have been several major hacking incidents since, which could make some reluctant to go out in person and scan their cards.

    Cyber Monday may come to be viewed as a safer and saner alternative to Black Friday.

    Especially those who want all of the holiday deals and none of the drama typically associated with a Black Friday sales event.

    Which sales day do YOU prefer: Black Friday or Cyber Monday? Do you shop both days?

  • Black Friday Deals: Where To Find The Best Ads

    Black Friday is coming up and if you are planning on participating in this crazy holiday shopping spree, you had better have a plan.

    Most people look forward to getting Black Friday ads in the mail so they can decide what they want to buy before they get to the store.

    Not everyone gets these ads and some stores only offer online ads as a way to share their Black Friday deals.

    If you are ready to plan your Black Friday shopping trip and want to get in on the good deals, you need to know where to look.

    These Black Friday ad websites offer the most ads and display them or make them available in convenient and easy-to-read ways.

    SlickDeals.com
    If you like using forums and want to hear what people have to say about the deals and sales, the SlickDeals website might be the best website for you. The ads are organized by store and you can see ad scans or just texts and descriptions about the deals. If you have any questions about one of the products or deals being offered during Black Friday, you can ask it in the forum and chat about your Black Friday plans with others.

    BFAds.net
    BFAds.net has the best collection of Black Friday ads from all over the Internet. You can view most of the ads on the website with ad scans, so it feels like you are looking at an actual store ad. The site also picks out some of the best deals in each ad and highlights them so you can compare different sales and different stores.

    BlackFriday.com
    This website offers everything you need for Black Friday. There is a handy countdown at the top of the page and all of the store ads are sorted on the left side of the page and in alphabetical order.

    Don’t miss out on the deals or fail to plan your shopping trip in time. Check out these sites to find the best Black Friday deals for 2014.

  • Toys R Us Opening Thanksgiving Day

    Toys R Us is among the group of retailers who have decided to open for business on Thanksgiving Day. The toy chain will open their stores at 5:00 P.M. on the holiday, meaning employees in their stores will have to leave their family gatherings early and head to work.

    “We had incredibly positive feedback with customers who shopped with us on Thanksgiving last year,” Chief Merchandising Officer Richard Barry said in a recent interview.

    Toys R Us, along with other big-box retailers, have opened their stores earlier and earlier each year in an effort to get shoppers into their stores for the Black Friday rush. With so many online establishments offering good deals on Thanksgiving Day, brick and mortar stores quickly realized they were losing out on a distinct group of paying customers.

    “We saw that people really enjoyed the early opening, and frankly we saw the sales on Black Friday itself being very strong,” Barry said. “There wasn’t as much pressure on that 10 p.m. or midnight time. It was more spread out and people had a more civilized shopping experience.”

    Toys R Us also unveiled a few other initiatives on Thursday aimed to make the shopping experience smoother during the busy holiday season. The company is placing employees–each will be called a “Guru for Play Stuff,” at the front of the store to help assist customer navigation. New express lanes will help speed up the checkout process for those buying two items or less. Employees will also have the ability to scan items inside a cart and get their customers out the door quickly.

    Toys R Us seems to have thought of everything with regard to the Black Friday rush. It is actually beating stores like Macy’s, J.C. Penney, and Kohl’s, who are also opening Thanksgiving Day, but not until later in the evening. The one thing the store hasn’t addressed–at least not publicly–is how its employees feel about working on this holiday.

  • Amazon Is Starting Black Friday Deals On November 1

    Amazon announced that it’s officially starting its holiday shopping madness on November 1, with its countdown to Black Friday Deals Week, which will involve over 15,000 “Lightning Deals” and early access to them for Prime members. Amazon will offer deals every day.

    “Starting in November, millions of holiday shoppers come to Amazon hunting for the best deals and that one perfect gift,” said Steve Shure, Amazon Vice President of Worldwide Marketing. “This year, we will have more than 15,000 hand-selected, limited time promotions on hot products, including new early access deals for Prime members on many Lightning Deals from Amazon.com and daily sales events on MyHabit.”

    There will be two “coveted” Deals of the Day every day from November 1 to December 22. Up until Black Friday weekend, there will be thousands of these Lightning Deals on electronics, toys, clothing, jewelry, kitchen products, etc.

    The deals can be found at amazon.com/blackfriday.

    From now until November 1, you get over $115 in apps and games for free from Amazon Appstore with a “Free App of the Day Bundle,” which you can get via the Amazon App.

    Amazon also took the opportunity to highlight some holiday trends it’s seeing, including growth in mobile shopping, and discovery and shopping with Twitter (which is probably more a plug for their recent feature additions than a true trend).

    “More and more Amazon customers are shopping on a mobile device. In fact, more than half of Amazon customers shopped using a mobile device last holiday,” the company says. “Between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday, Amazon customers ordered more than five toys per second from a mobile device. Now with visual and voice search, customers can use their smart phone to search and shop in seconds. We want customers to go from ‘I want that’ to ‘I bought that’ in under 30 seconds.”

    Amazon, I’m sure you do.

    Earlier this month, Amazon announced that it’s enabling Marketplace sellers worldwide a chance to have their products appear on high-traffic holiday deal pages.

    Image via Amazon

  • Black Friday Early Planning Tips

    Black Friday is a time to get the best deals and for many people, it is the start of the holiday shopping season.

    While the 2014 Black Friday shopping event is likely to be a good one this year, if you don’t have a plan you might not be able to get the deals, as many of the best items are only available in limited numbers.

    If you want to get everything on your list at a great price this year, use some of these tips to make your Black Friday shopping trip a successful one.

    Make A List
    Of course you have a Christmas list and maybe even a Black Friday shopping list, but since many stores open at different times and are offering certain items during certain days and time periods, your list needs to be more detailed than the average shopping list. Use Black Friday ads to make a schedule and list. Know what store you want to visit on what day and at what time as well as the items you plan to buy there.

    Bring A Group
    The best way to tackle a busy store on Black Friday is to bring a group and split up. You can assign certain group members to get certain items and then bring them back to a set point in the store where you can split them up before paying for them. This will ensure that everyone can get the items they want even if the items are spread out across the store and available at the same time.

    Use Technology
    Technology will be your best friend on Black Friday. There are numerous Black Friday apps available and many stores offer maps, coupons and special online deals during Black Friday as well. Use your smartphone to help you get in on these deals.

    Use these tips to help you get ready for Black Friday. By planning early you can avoid stressing at the last minute and will be able to focus on getting those awesome deals.

  • Amazon Seller Holiday Deals Program Goes Global

    Last year, Amazon gave Marketplace sellers a chance to have their products appear on high-traffic holiday deal pages on Amazon.com throughout the holiday season. This year, the company is opening up such opportunities to more sellers around the world.

    Deals from sellers will be featured on holiday deal pages like the Amazon Today’s Deals page, the Black Friday Store, the Cyber Monday Store, and other high-traffic site features. This will happen in the U.S., the EU, China, Japan, India, and Canada.

    “It’s a huge benefit to customers during the holidays to have millions of small and mid-sized businesses from around the world selling on Amazon,” said Peter Faricy, VP for Amazon Marketplace. “We have heard from customers that they value the breadth and depth of unique products only offered by sellers. This year customers will find thousands of limited-time holiday deals on high quality items and can browse hundreds of millions of other attractive offers at low prices across popular categories like consumer electronics, toys, clothing and many others. It’s now easier than ever for sellers on Amazon to reach customers in their local area or anywhere in the world.”

    “The sales spike from our deal earlier in the year was so fast, it was beyond our imagination. Customers rushed to the deal page and within minutes our inventory disappeared. For our upcoming holiday deals, we are preparing to have triple the inventory level available to meet high customer demand,” said Darwin Deng, President for Patozon.

    According to Amazon, Amazon sellers experienced record growth during the holiday season last year. On Cyber Monday alone, over 13 million units were ordered worldwide from sellers of varying sizes. This was up 50% year-over-year.

    Image via Amazon

  • Black Friday 2013 Tech Revenue Up 10% Over 2012

    Christmas is almost here and retailers now have a good idea of how this year’s holiday spending is shaping up. Though consumers spent less on average this year than the last, longer store hours on Thanksgiving Day and popular electronic items drove up tech revenue during this year’s biggest shopping weekend.

    Market research firm NPD today released its weekly report showing that consumer electronic sales the week of Black Friday increased 10% year-over-year in 2013. Revenues from tech product sales reached close to $5 billion during the annual holiday shopping kick-off.

    “Strong promotions, new players, new product categories; these were all the things the industry needed after several stagnant years,” said Stephen Baker, VP of industry analysis at NPD. “Holiday sales growth is an important momentum builder for 2014. However, it is important to remember that with much of the volumes driven by heavy promotion, similar outcomes in 2014 are much more uncertain.”

    According to the report, tech spending this Black Friday was heavily led by big-ticket items. Tablets, notebooks, and TVs accounted for more than $3.1 billion of this year’s Black Friday tech revenue alone.

    TVs raked in more than $1.4 billion this Black Friday and were the largest revenue-generators during the week. Tablets came in second with a massive 105% increase in unit shipments over 2012.

    Other electronic devices also saw huge year-over-year growth. Streaming speakers, streaming video players, sound bars, and headphones saw record revenue growth during this year’s Black Friday shopping week.

    “We are beginning to see emerging product categories contribute significantly to the overall market growth, said Baker. “For example, headphones didn’t break into 2010’s top 50, but they were the fourth largest revenue category in 2013. The most significant sign of positive holiday momentum is that all of the top five categories delivered positive revenue in 2013.”

    According to NPD the higher revenues this year were driven by lower average sale prices for many of the most popular consumer electronics devices. The firm’s data shows that average sale prices on Black Friday have been dropping consistently for the past few years.