After finishing a hearty Thanksgiving meal, several Americans will literally be running into the nearest department store to grab as many discounted items as possible. Although hectic, Black Friday can be the perfect opportunity to purchase Christmas presents early or just take advantage of a great sale, but there’s more strategizing that goes into walking away with a cart full of everything you want than just showing up.
Here are five fact about Black Friday that you can use to be an effective shopper:
Walmart does not offer the best Black Friday deals
Since Walmart generally has lower prices than other stores year round, shoppers may think that the mega-retailer will have the biggest discounts the day after Thanksgiving as well. According to Houston Chronicle, the store ranked No. 5 for discounts in the major retail categories, which includes apparel and accessories, computers and phones, consumer electronics, consumer packaged goods, toys, appliances, furniture, jewelry and “other.”
Discounted items from last year may be on sale again
A study by WalletHub found that 11 percent of the items that were marked down on Black Friday in 2014 will also be marked down this year.
You are unlikely to find a great sale on jewelry
Advertisements for major Black Friday discounts on jewelry are everywhere, but according to WalletHub, these accessories are typically only marked down by 4 percent.
Low end entertainment will likely be marked down the most
Entertainment products such as books, movies and music are usually discounted by an average of 28 percent — the highest markdown of any category, WalletHub reported.
JCPenney wins in biggest discounts
Shoppers may save the most money by shopping at JCPenney, WalletHub discovered. The department store offers advertised discounted prices at an average of 68 percent — the best sales out of the 30 other major retailers.
Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Shopping!
