Black Friday, Tech
These 7 Categories Will Have the Best Black Friday Deals. Here’s Why
There’s been a lot of uncertainty in 2020, but one thing is for certain as we head into fall: Black Friday is not cancelled. Sure, it may look a little different this year, but the deals and discounts could be better than ever considering many of us have less to spend on things other than essentials. Below, we’ve rounded up seven categories where we expect the best Black Friday deals for 2020 and some predictions for how stores will adjust to accommodate health and safety protocols.
What categories can you expect the best Black Friday deals?
Smart home tech
With the majority of people spending more time at home, priorities have shifted. Many people are investing the money they would have spent on travel or vacations into nesting projects and products that help them outfit their homes. Expect smart home products from Google and Amazon to be deeply discounted as the two giants battle it out. You can already see a preview on Amazon’s Prime Day deals page. Two-for-one Echo dots and smart lights, Roombas and smart plugs can all be had for up to 30% off.
Televisions and home entertainment
TV deals are a Black Friday staple and it seems that the sales get better and better each year. In 2019, there were 70-inch 4K TVs going for under $600 and 50-inch TVs could be had for under $300. We’re expecting stores like Best Buy, Target and Walmart to beat those prices in 2020 as televisions will be a hot commodity with everyone at home consuming more content than ever. Google also released its new Chromecast with Google TV, which will undoubtedly see a price drop for Black Friday and push competitors like Apple and Roku to follow suit.
Smartphones
The smartphone market continues to get increasingly competitive, so it’s safe to expect some smartphone deals as we head into the Black Friday season. Google launched its Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G on September 30 at extremely competitive price points. The Pixel 5 retails for $699 and the Pixel 4a 5G starts at $499. OnePlus has an upcoming launch event for its 8T phone on October 14, so we’re expecting it to go toe-to-toe with the Pixel 5. If Verizon, T-Mobile and Google follow their Black Friday models, we’ll likely see two-for-one deals, free phones for new customers or those who are switching carriers and deeper discounts on outgoing models.
Clothing, footwear and accessories
As we all adjusted to the “new normal,” almost everything changed, including what we wear. Business casual was traded in for athleisure and shoes were quickly replaced by loungewear and slippers, at least for those working from home. We’d expect clothing, footwear and accessory deals to reflect that fact as we get closer to Black Friday. Nothing has been announced yet, but Amazon’s Prime Day deal preview indicates that we’ll see deep discounts, up to 40%, on its Amazon Basics brand goods. Amazon leads the way, so we expect stores like Macy’s, Kohl’s, Old Navy, Target and Walmart to follow.
Home goods and home improvement
If you’ve been waiting to refresh your interior space with things like new decorations, cookware and kitchen and bath goods, Black Friday may be the perfect time to do just that. We’re expecting hefty sales on furniture, decorations and more for Black Friday 2020. Home improvement projects have also been incredibly popular this year with everyone at home noticing all the things they’ve been neglecting to get done around the house. In fact, Home Depot announced that its Black Friday 2020 sale will last two months instead of the typical weekend of sales, which is a smart play on their part. We wouldn’t be surprised if home retailers like Overstock.com, Bed Bath & Beyond and Purple offered up some great discounts.
Gaming consoles
It’s a big year for gaming consoles. Microsoft’s Xbox Series X and S launch November 10 and Sony’s Playstation 5 will hit stores two days later on November 12. These are the first major console refreshes from both brands in a long time, so they’ll be the hot ticket items for the holidays in 2020. Inventory may be limited, but we still expect the launch-day bundles that typically help you save a little money if you’re investing in a new console. Nintendo has the Switch and Switch Lite, but they are rarely discounted. Instead, Nintendo usually offers exclusive bundles around the holidays. That being said, there’s talk of a console refresh, which could change the game if it’s announced closer to Black Friday. It’s also the 35th anniversary of Super Mario Bros., so we’re expecting special releases tied to this important milestone. Keep your eyes on gaming console deals from retailers like GameStop and Best Buy.
Laptops, tablets and PCs
Many of the best laptop, tablet and PC deals usually appear around Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but there was a huge rush to purchase these devices as many of us shifted to a work-from-home environment or remote learning. This fact may drive stores like Lenovo, Microsoft, Dell and HP to offer bigger discounts to attract the minority who didn’t purchase a device over the summer. We covered some of the best laptop options for the whole family if you want to do your research ahead of time.
How will Black Friday 2020 be different?
- Curbside will be king. Black Friday was built on limited, in-store deals that forced shoppers into brick and mortar locations. This year, expect stores to beef up curbside options to keep shoppers and employees as safe as possible. Target is already getting ready for an expected increase in curbside pickup.
- In-store promotions will be limited. We may see virtually no in-store promotions this year, so the best Black Friday deals will be online and could go quickly. You’ll have to have a strong game plan to make sure you get everything on your list. Start virtual window shopping now and bookmark your must-haves so you can access them quickly when the time comes.
- Deals will start early and extend beyond Black Friday Weekend. Expect Black Friday to become more of a season this time around. Amazon’s Prime Day event is happening October 13 and 14 and is basically Black Friday before the official holiday. Other stores like Target are kicking things off in October as well and plan to extend Black Friday pricing through the entire month of November.
Start your Black Friday list now and set up Google alerts to let you know when your favorite stores announce their Black Friday previews. If you’re not yet a Rakuten member, now is the perfect time to join as you’ll be alerted of exciting Cash Back offers, promo codes and Black Friday shopping tips to stack on top of major sales. Join Rakuten for free today and start shopping smarter now.
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