Hi! I’m Amanda.
I’m Tommy.
And we’re deal experts! (Can you hear us shouting it in unison?)
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We’ve covered major shopping events for more than four years, including Black Friday and Prime Day.
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We tracked prices on everyone’s favorite tech, home and toy items for years to see if Black Friday prices fulfilled those retailer promises.
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We’ve spoken with dozens of industry experts in the retail and shopping spaces, along with academics who study supply chains, tariffs, marketing strategies and more.
Come along with us as we chat about all things Black Friday (Nov. 28) – how we’re feeling about the deals, what economic factors might come into play as you shop, and what’s on our lists this year.
How are we feeling about Black Friday this year?
Amanda: My first thought is…I’m a little bored? We just came off of
Amazon’s October Prime Big Deal Days sale and all the other competing retailer sales. I just sort of wonder what’s going to be new, you know? I do look forward to seeing what some of the smaller, local shops have to offer. How are you feeling about it?
Tommy: I’m overwhelmed. That’s the word. I like saving money, but I find all these early deals exhausting.
Amanda: It’s funny, just logging on Instagram, Tiktok — it does feel a little bit like we’re being inundated with gift guides and hauls from all sides.
Tommy: Sometimes I wonder if I would rather just spend an extra $20 on everything for all of this hype to go away? I’ll pay full price if they just leave me alone.
Amanda: With three kids, I don’t know if you could afford that!
Tommy: True.
Is there really a best time to buy?
Amanda: This is the question we return to every year at Black Friday. Is there really a best time to buy, or has that idea become a myth?
Tommy: Paying attention to prices is more important than timing, I’d say. You can get a sense for what’s a good deal by just looking at the price history. And as we’ve seen, good prices come and go whether sales are happening or not.
Amanda: I track products, too. I add items to my cart and check in every couple days to see what the price is. That helps me, because when the actual Black Friday sales happen, I can spot a real deal or just hype.
Tommy: I’m like you — I save items I want in my cart and watch. I know how low the price has gone in the past. I get it when a good deal strikes.
Amanda: I’m always surprised when I see a lower price the week before a big sale than during the actual sale.
New technologies allow retailers to change prices by the day, hour or minute. That can be really frustrating, and it’s a lot different than previous Black Friday pricing models.
I can remember waking up early the day after Thanksgiving with my mom and driving to Best Buy to get in line to buy a DVD player. I might be aging myself, but that memory feels really different from what Black Friday shopping is like today.
Tommy: Is it weird that I miss those days? Now browser extensions make it easy to spot truly low prices. That said, those who don’t get a kick out of all the research can go into Black Friday knowing there will be lots of great deals.
Amanda: True — but they might also get caught up and overspend, too. I think the best thing you can do is have a list of your ‘must haves’ and track those in the weeks leading up to a big sale.
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Is it still worth shopping on actual Black Friday?
Amanda: Black Friday gives planners like me a hard deadline. You’ve got to get those gifts wrapped and under the tree. There’s an urgency to it that motivates me.
Black Friday weekend, starting with Thanksgiving day and ending on Cyber Monday, remains a significant event for many shoppers. Price-tracking research has shown that during this period, especially for tech devices and kitchen gadgets, Black Friday weekend often offers the best deals of the year.
Amanda: For some, the thrill of scoring a Lightning Deal with only minutes to spare is exhilarating. Waking up the day after Thanksgiving to see what bargains can be found is part of the excitement.
Covering major sales events has changed our perspective on shopping over the years. While we are more aware of marketing tactics and impulse buying pitfalls, we still find ourselves tempted by new gadgets and trends. However, we have become more conscious of our spending habits and try to make more informed purchasing decisions.
Using AI for shopping is not a priority for us at the moment, but tools like Keepa, CamelCamelCamel, and Honey are helpful for tracking prices and finding discounts. We are also looking forward to exploring smaller retailers and niche brands during the Black Friday weekend for unique finds.
As we navigate the holiday shopping season, we advise shoppers to be cautious of changes in credit scoring models and potential price increases due to tariffs. It’s essential to be mindful of budget constraints and consider alternative ways to create holiday magic beyond material gifts.
Ultimately, Black Friday weekend offers a mix of excitement and challenges for shoppers, but with careful planning and thoughtful consideration, it can be a rewarding experience. following sentence:
“The cat sat on the windowsill and watched the birds outside.”
The cat perched on the windowsill, observing the birds in the yard.