SAN ANTONIO – If you planned on scoring a Black Friday deal on a new TV the weekend after Thanksgiving, it might be too late. Shipping delays and supply chain issues mean shopping will look slightly different this year because the sales have already started.
But not every sale is a deal, so Consumer Reports says it pays to shop smart if you’re looking for a TV.
“Beware of those bargain basement prices on TVs from lesser-known brands,” said Jim Willcox, Consumer Reports’ tech editor.
CR crunched the numbers on three years of ratings and found that models from major brands like LG, Samsung, and Sony tend to perform better.
So if you shop those holiday sales wisely, you might not have to pay much more to get a better television. That’s because Black Friday is often when older models and TVs made specifically for Black Friday have the biggest discounts.
Another way to save is to go big.
“We expect to see the biggest price cuts on larger sets, say 65 inches and above,” Willcox said.
The Consumer Reports website lists the current prices for all of the TVs in its ratings. You can also check out Google Shopping, Pricegrabber, and Shopzilla.
If you’re shopping in-store, you can also use smartphone apps like BuyVia, Shopkick, ShopSavvy, and Shopular to scan bar codes or QR codes to compare prices and score coupons.
And remember, like many gifts this year, TV sales are already happening. Inventory may be limited.
“If you see an early deal you like, jump on it now,” Willcox said.
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