Black Friday online deals lure shoppers to make it a cyber Black Friday
From computers to clothing and movies, some of the most attractive and accessible Black Friday shopping deals were online rather than in retail stores. And Americans flocked online to catch the falling opportunities.
The deals are available at many of the same stores that promote heavy Black Friday traffic in their physical locations, such as Best Buy and Walmart.
Radio Shack offered $100 off an Xbox 360 gaming platform with Kinect Motion Sensor, bringing its price to $199.99.
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Walmart put televisions on sale online ahead of Black Friday, allowing customers the chance to skip the in-store crowds.
Best Buy has its own online price cuts for TVs and other gadgets, as well as for cheaper goods.
A host of "$3.99 or less" videos included numerous 99-cent DVDs. On Friday morning, the $1 movies included "The Derby Stallion" with Zac Efron and "Charlie Wilson's War" with Tom Hanks. By Friday afternoon, the feel-good horse story was "sold out online," while you could still click "add to cart" for "Charlie Wilson's War."
Although industry marketing emphasizes online sales for Cyber Monday after Thanksgiving, the reality is that by Black Friday retailers are off to the races with their cyber discounting.
Actually, an industry survey conducted by BIGresearch found that 8 in 10 online retailers will have special promotions on Monday, but even more (9 in 10) were offering deals at some point during the Thanksgiving weekend.
The retailing industry's CyberMonday.com website shows featured deals now as well as on Monday, and other websites specialize in helping consumers navigate their options.
Some, like ConsumerSearch.com and Decide.com, help people research products and whether new models are on the way. Others, like Dealnews.com and TGIBlackFriday.com offer a window on the deals available on specific products at specific stores.
WFMY, a North Carolina TV station, posted a wealth of links to deals (organized in categories such as kids’ apparel) on its website. A few clicks and you'll be able to see if "Charlie Wilson's War" is still a 99-cent DVD at Best Buy.
The TV station's Black Friday guide notes that for some websites you need to log in or have a discount code before the lowest prices appear.
Another tip from online-shopping experts: Following the Twitter feeds of stores that sell things you're interested in is one ideal way to stay up on the latest deals.
RECOMMENDED: Top 6 weird Black Friday discounts
