5 tips that will help you snag the best deals on Black Friday
After cooking a feast or playing referee at the Thanksgiving dinner table, you might have put as much thought into Black Friday as those dinner rolls you forgot to pull out of the freezer.
So the shopping frenzy and the season of holiday giving snuck up on us early this year. No matter.
We've compiled a guide with advice from Sarah Hollenbeck, a shopping and retail expert at BlackFriday.com, and traveling tips for getting to one of the busiest malls in the suburbs.
1. The hottest toys
To make the most of Black Friday, bargain hunters should do their research and compare prices. But consumers may want to scramble to scoop up popular toys that will sell out fast.
WowWee's Fingerlings have again topped an annual BlackFriday.com list of the most-coveted holiday toys, albeit in a larger version of the monkey that fits around a finger and produces noises (yes, including bodily sounds).
If there's one theme to the list, it's a surprising level of nostalgia for retro toys and veteran brands, Hollenbeck said. Barbie DreamHouse and a singing-and-dancing Elmo - Tickle Me Elmo déjà vu? - both cracked the Top 10.
“Year over year, those old favorites continue to still pop up on our list,” Hollenbeck said.
2. TV and small appliance deals
Best Buy, Costco and Walmart will offer deep price cuts on televisions. At Walmart, a 55-inch Samsung Class 4K Smart TV is selling for $397.99 - or about $300 off the usual $700 price tag.
With all the hype over the Instant Pot, Costco will slash $35 off its 6-quart model for members. Walmart will have an 8-quart, 6-in-1 model for $59. This headline-making kitchen gadget - a pressure cooker and slow cooker - typically costs roughly $100 with more functions.
3. Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday
Wait until Cyber Monday, and travelers can score heavy discounts on airline and hotel chain vacation packages. But those markdowns are restricted to “very specific” dates and locations, Hollenbeck said.
Some electronics are good buys on either Black Friday or Cyber Monday.
As for apparel, deals are more item-specific on Black Friday. Macy's will promote sales on designer coats and dresses, Hollenbeck said.
4. Follow stores on social media
Retailers will reward their social media audience with exclusive sales, coupons and inside scoops. Also sign up for email notifications.
5. Heading to the outlet mall?
Aurora police are advising drivers to heed these tips: Shoppers coming from the east via I-88 with an I-PASS transponder should use the Eola Road exit to Bilter Road; proceed west on Bilter; and access the mall via the north entrance.
Drivers on I-88 without an I-PASS should use the Farnsworth Avenue North exit; merge onto Farnsworth via the off-ramp and stay in the farthest right-hand lane, entering the mall property through the west entrance: Premium Outlets Boulevard at the traffic light.
Shoppers coming from the west on I-88 should take the Farnsworth Avenue North exit; merge onto Farnsworth via the off-ramp heading north; maneuver into the farthest right-hand lane; and arrive to the mall through the west entrance.
Police and parking personnel will direct drivers coming from the north on Kirk Road, north of Butterfield Road, to off-site, free parking spaces in lots on Church Road.
Those drivers will turn west on Butterfield and then south on Church. Shoppers will then take free shuttles to the mall.
Finally, shoppers arriving from the south on Farnsworth also will access the mall at Premium Outlet Boulevard.