Welcome to Black Friday 2010 at BlackFriday2010.com where you can research, plan and execute the best Black Friday shopping. View pre-release Black Friday Ads for major stores as well as my handpicked Black Friday Deals, commentary and tips. Sign-up for daily email alerts.
Latest Black Friday News
Wednesday, Dec 2, at 2:19 PM
12 Days of Holiday Giveaways at BradsDeals!
BradsDeals.com, the year-round sister site of BlackFriday2009.com, is doing 12 Days of Holiday Giveaways. Day 1 is today. Sign up here at top and you could win one of eight $51 gift certificates to Moosejaw.com, the outdoor gear and apparel retailer! That would certainly make it easier to save on North Face or Patagonia.
See full contest details here.
Monday, Nov 30, at 12:54 AM
Cyber Monday 2009 has Arrived!
Cyber Monday, the Monday following Black Friday where online retailers slash prices and waive shipping costs, is finally here. Not only are Cyber Monday deals comparable to a lot of the doorbusters found at stores on Black Friday, but you can shop from the comfort of your home, avoiding the crowds and the anxiety of trying to grab that last $3 pajama set before the person next to you.
Here are a few of the highlights:
Gap Brands (Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, Athleta Chi and Piperlime): 20% off and free shipping via code MONDAY
Crocs: 20% off Everything
White House Black Market: 20% off and free shipping via code 8002
Kate Spade: Extra 25% off sale items
Origins: $10 off $25 via code TenOff09
World Market: 20% off and free shipping with $50 via code 1DAYAFF
New York & Co.: 50% off and free shipping via code 4134
Arden B.: 30% off and free shipping with $15
Famous Footwear: 20% off via code THNKS09
Eddie Bauer: 25% off and free shipping via code CYBMON25
Chico’s: 25% off and free shipping via code 6760
Soma Intimates: 30% off and free shipping via code 7387
This is just an example of some of the great deals going on today. Happy Monday!
Wednesday, Nov 25, at 1:05 PM
10 Worst (or Weirdest) Black Friday Deals
Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen a lot of Black Friday deals. Some are incredible, some are funny and a few aren’t deals at all. Here are the 10 worst and weirdest Black Friday 2009 deals. Please note that all pricing listed is what you can expect on Black Friday, not what is currently advertised online or in stores.
10. Like to imbibe during the holiday season but hate watery drinks? We found these Whiskey Stones at Think Geek for just $15.99 (after a $5 off $10 coupon is applied). The stones keep drinks cold and stiff, the way they should be during family gatherings.
9. The Ruger Semi-Automatic Pistol is marked down from $399.99 to $249.99 this Black Friday at Gander Mountain. With a shooting last Black Friday at a California ToysRUs, we’re not sure if this makes you safer or puts you in even more danger!
8. GameStop takes an extra $10-$20 off refurbished gaming systems, making a used PSP just $79.99 (retails new for around $160). This isn’t a bad deal, but it’s Black Friday! We’re going for the big savings on a brand new, under-warranty gaming system!
7. Black Friday is all about mega deals, so we definitely took note of the Mio 4.3″ GPS System for $79.99 at Radio Shack (normally $149.99), but Walmart has a similar TomTom 4.3″ GPS System for $89. Sure, it’s an extra $10, but we’re willing to pay a bit more for a well-known and trusted brand, especially since the model normally retails for as much as $180.
6. We love Overstock, but we think it’s a little odd they didn’t include pricing in their Black Friday 2009 ad. The ad is great for giving you an idea of what will be on sale (items include a Wii, camcorders, lots of toys, a Cole Haan woman’s coat, bedding and even an inversion table), but since most of the competitive doorbuster sales will be going on at stores, we’re not sure if staying home to see what Overstock’s pricing will be is worth the time.
5. Update: We’re sorry to say that we goofed on this one. Target has the Nikon S203, not the S230 as advertised at Walmart. Both cameras are 10MP, however the S230 has a touch screen and a few more operational modes. Either way, if you’re in the market for a solid digital camera, the S203 for $88 (retails for as much as $139.99) at Target is a good deal. The Nikon Coolpix 10mp S230 Digital Camera popped up in a lot of Black Friday ads this year. Walmart has the camera for $139, but Target is selling it in two colors for just $88!
4. The Ace Hardware Black Friday 2009 ad is full of “deals” that are actually mail-in rebate offers. We’re not paying full price for anything on Black Friday, and neither should you.
3. If you’re on the hunt for a deal on an iPod, you may not have to brave the Black Friday crowds at all. Amazon currently has the newest model of the iPod 8GB Nano (5th generation) for $134.99 with free shipping. The same iPod is available on Black Friday at Target for $145 with a free $15 Target giftcard and at BestBuy for $149.99. Even considering the free Target giftcard, the free shipping and limited sales tax makes Amazon a better deal. However, Amazon is literally changing prices on certain items by the minute, so act fast to take advantage of this deal!
2. As we mentioned the other day, Apple’s Black Friday “holiday shopping event” didn’t make the cut last year for great Black Friday deals. We’re hoping they’ll step it up and offer more than free shipping and 5%-10% off select items, but we’re not counting on it. Give the site a check, but don’t jump at the first price drop you see. Many retailers like Target, Toys R Us and Amazon will have better pricing and include bonus offers such as gift cards.
1. Perhaps the worst Black Friday deal goes to BestBuy. BestBuy screwed up the price of a popular refrigerator in their ad and then back-tracked – they won’t honor the price!
Black Friday Information
Brad's Top 10 Tips for Black Friday Sales
- Research: start your Black Friday 2010 research on Thanksgiving day or earlier.
- Make a plan: identify what you want to buy, what stores you need to go to and what time they open.
- Timing is everything: arrange stores by opening time from early to late.
- A fool and his money: be wary of Black Friday deals with quantity limits. If a store only has 10 items at that price, go elsewhere.
- Visualize: know where your items are in the store.
- Stay Safe: BF 2008 was deadly; please don't trample or shoot anyone!
- Power of numbers: go with a team and attack separate stores or separate sections of the same store. Designate a meeting place.
- Bring a snack: only amateurs stop at the food court on Black Friday! (Or the bathroom - so go before you leave.)
- The quiet ones: don't ignore stores that don't advertise. They will have deals too!
- Have fun: enjoy your family, friends and deals!
Black Friday 2009 Overall Predictions
The 2009 holiday shopping season comes amidst the worst economic climate in 70 years. In 2008, Black Friday deals were no longer only for the frugal but in 2009 they are for everybody. With record unemployment and foreclosures, as well as huge decreases in consumer credit, discretionary spending and overall confidence, consumers will again spend more on Black Friday but less overall during the 2009 holidays. Specifically
- More consumers will shop on Black Friday 2009. I'm predicting 180 Million shoppers (vs 172M in 2008).
- Consumers will again spend more on average on Black Friday, likely around 4% more (vs. 7.2% in 2008).
- Overall 2009 Black Friday spending will increase, likely by 9% (vs. 27% in 2008).
- Overall 2009 holiday spending will decrease, likely by 3% (compared to 2.3% in 2008).
Black Friday 2008 Results
How did my 2008 Black Friday predictions pan out? I got three out of four right!
- More consumers will shop on Black Friday in 2008. True!
- Consumers will spend less on average. False!
- Overall 2008 Black Friday spending will increase. True!
- Overall 2008 holiday spending will decrease. True!
Black Friday Historic Stats
| 2009* | 2008 | 2007 | |
| # of Shoppers | 180M | 172M | 147M |
| % of Holiday Sales | 22.7% | 19.4% | 15.1% |
| $ Per Shopper | $386 | $372 | $347 |
*predictions
History of Black Friday
Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving. Falling as early as the 23rd and as late as the 29th of November, Black Friday is not an official government holiday but many employees do receive the day off. The increased number of shoppers creates the busiest shopping day of the year. To accomodate the rush, many retailers open as early as 4am and offer "loss leaders" and limited quantity sales to entice people to their stores.
The term "Black Friday" has two meanings. In the 1960's, "Black Friday" was used by police in Philadelphia in reference to the heavy traffic on that day. Prior to that, "Black Friday" was set to mark the first day that a retailer had sold through enough inventory and turned a profit for the yea, putting them "in the black" according to the old by-hand accounting system of using black ink to indicate a profit and red ink to indicate a loss.
Black Friday Ads
Warning: many ads are large PDF files that may take a minute to download
