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Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,714
Registered: ‎01-04-2014

Re: Are Black Friday, Cyber Monday Deals Real?

@beach-mom, that's the same with me. My list isn't that long so I do remember the prices.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 25,744
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Are Black Friday, Cyber Monday Deals Real?

I have the Honey plug-in on my browser and it lets me track prices over 30, 60, or 120 days. It's a good tool if you're not sure of the "regular" price for something.

 

As for Black Friday/Cyber Monday, there are good deals to be had. I bought the Playstation 5 (normally $499 for $424), a spare controller (typically $75 I paid $54,) and the game Eldin Ring (typically $60 I paid $20.) I bought a new air fryer for $35 (typically around $90 for that model.) And a new pair of Wrangler jeans for $13. I saved around $200. The only thing that I bought that wasn't at an all-time low was the spare controller. They've been as low as $50 before but Sony has raised the "regular" price since then and $54 is the new lowest price.

 

You can save money or you can get burned on Black Friday deals. You have to be a smart consumer. I don't think big-screen TVs sold as well this Black Friday. I was at my local Walmart this morning and they still had a ton of them marked down at their Black Friday pricing.

Fly!!! Eagles!!! Fly!!!
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,828
Registered: ‎01-14-2017

Re: Are Black Friday, Cyber Monday Deals Real?

 

I am a little confused about the posts.

 

I want to clarify that I did not claim that ALL Black Friday, Cyber Monday Deals are not good deals.  Many are. I bought some myself.

 

My comments were not about QVC specifically, they were about retailers in general.  But I stand by my statement that QVC does cut off discounts on SOME NOT ALL items when they have free S&H.  I know this because I have seen it on my saved items.  If you haven't seen that, then good for you if you got a deal.  It is never on ALL items, only SOME items.

 

For QVC, they bring in many items that are new with no price history, and the discount they claim is off what you would have paid elsewhere.  When I see the crossed off prices on my screen, I don't know what that means.  they don't even call them the regular qvc price, which is what they used to do.  QVC used to include the TSV and other prices in their emails.  They only do it rarely now, because they don't want us to compare prices with those from the past or the future, which I used to do.  I would save the emails on things that interested me, and go back and compare prices at other times.  The differences between a sale and a next day price at qvc are often less than $5.  Sale prices are now lower or higher.

 

The only Black Friday item I was interested in at QVC is still in my saved items, at the same price.  It is now a Cyber Sale price.  It is a good deal, which I know because it is an item that I can find in many other places, so I know the regular price.  It is on sale elsewhere as well, for the same as QVC or a lower price.  Hoping the price goes down more.

 

A Black Friday item I bought on Amazon at a good sale price (I use the price cheking tools too, but know Amazon is now an affiliate of that company), went up only by $1.  But several did go back up higher, so those sales were real.

 

According to the reports I saw and mentioned in the op, they state that about 1/3 of items are not real sales, not that ALL items are not real sales.

 

Many of you got good deals, as I did.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,828
Registered: ‎01-14-2017

Re: Are Black Friday, Cyber Monday Deals Real?


@AuntMame wrote:

There are a couple items I've been watching on Amazon. Last week they were at "Black Friday Deal" prices for Amazon Prime subscribers that were purportedly $4-$5 lower than the regular prices. The prices went up after Black Friday. Today the prices were lowered again to what they were offered for on Black Friday but for non-Prime customers. 

 

I think Black Friday pricing is usually a scam. 


 

@AuntMame   I have seen this work both days.  A non-Amazon Prime friend of mine was shopping for something at a sale price, I checked to see if it was lower for me as an Amazon Prime customer, and I did not have the sale, price was higher.  I think Amazon has the ability to customize prices to each customer.  Sometimes the prices for me go down the second or third time I look at the item the same day, and the fourth time it will go up.  Sometimes it is at a lower price the next day.

 

QVC has begun customizing deals too, but its technique is not as sophisticated as Amazon.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,042
Registered: ‎10-16-2010

Re: Are Black Friday, Cyber Monday Deals Real?


@NYCLatinaMe wrote:

@AuntMame wrote:

There are a couple items I've been watching on Amazon. Last week they were at "Black Friday Deal" prices for Amazon Prime subscribers that were purportedly $4-$5 lower than the regular prices. The prices went up after Black Friday. Today the prices were lowered again to what they were offered for on Black Friday but for non-Prime customers. 

 

I think Black Friday pricing is usually a scam. 


 

@AuntMame   I have seen this work both days.  A non-Amazon Prime friend of mine was shopping for something at a sale price, I checked to see if it was lower for me as an Amazon Prime customer, and I did not have the sale, price was higher.  I think Amazon has the ability to customize prices to each customer.  Sometimes the prices for me go down the second or third time I look at the item the same day, and the fourth time it will go up.  Sometimes it is at a lower price the next day.

 

QVC has begun customizing deals too, but its technique is not as sophisticated as Amazon.


 

I've often heard that Amazon does customize prices for customers. When I'm considering buying something on Amazon I'll often watch the price every day for several weeks. The prices seem to fluctuate quite often and often by quite a lot. I'll have to start watching to see if there's any regularity like the one you point out--the prices go down the second or third time, then go up the fourth time. 

 

I sometimes use camelcamel to follow Amazon price fluctuations, although that doesn't seem to be accurate for certain things I buy regularly on Amazon. 

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,828
Registered: ‎01-14-2017

Re: Are Black Friday, Cyber Monday Deals Real?

 

@AuntMame   Maybe don't wait for the fourth time!  Sometimes I leave the window w the sale price open, and if I want to look up some info later, I absentmindedly open a new window, and the price is higher.  If the old window with the sale price is still open, in Amazon, I can always get the deal shopping from the old window if the item is still available.  I have done this several times.  But it does not work when they give me a limited time deal with a deadline.  If I don't get it within that deadline, in my experince, the price does go up.  I had one of those this weekend, and I made the purchase within the deadline based on my past experience, saved what they claim was about $40.  But the NEXT DAY, the item was back up to just $1 above my low price (It's still in my saved items.)  Today it is back to the higher price, but it has a $30 coupon.  They probably want to get rid of that inventory.  Suposedly a $190 chair, most often sold for $150 according to camel.  That is the price now, but there is a $30 coupon.  So the price was good, based on the great ratings.  

 

The leaving the window with the sale price open thing does not work on QVC though.  But QVC TSV prices do most days seem to continue for some time after ET midnight, not sure howlong.  I have made TSV purchases in the wee hours.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 21,611
Registered: ‎03-16-2010

Re: Are Black Friday, Cyber Monday Deals Real?

@NYCLatinaMe 

 

Many of you got good deals, as I did.

 

I got a few "sale" items on Amazon.  I don't know if they really were or not.  I got in on the sale at the Moon Drip website.  I cut way back on Christmas gifts this year.  The babies are 18 and 16.  They each got 2 gifts and stocking stuffers.  My daughter and sil got a combined gift for their house and I've bought dad's Christmas present.  I think I'm done.  DH's birthday is 4 days after Christmas.  He had a Christmas/birthday wish list that he wanted early.  I had to reach out to the Elf headquarters to see if they could make an early delivery.  Who knew they had an entire "Early Delivery" team with their own workshop!

 

Elves Workshop Images – Browse 11,593 Stock Photos, Vectors, and Video |  Adobe Stock

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 21,611
Registered: ‎03-16-2010

Re: Are Black Friday, Cyber Monday Deals Real?

@NYCLatinaMe 

 

I think Amazon has the ability to customize prices to each customer.

 

I've thought that from the very beginning.  I finally called and spoke to a supervisor about the pricing situation (years ago).  She said they don't control the pricing and that prices can fluctuate by the hour.  I don't know if it's true, but it was her explanation.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,862
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Are Black Friday, Cyber Monday Deals Real?

I agree with other posters that this year it was all about raising prices a week or so before lowering them.

 

I tend to shop early for the holidays, thank goodness. 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,466
Registered: ‎02-16-2019

Re: Are Black Friday, Cyber Monday Deals Real?

I got a few perfumes from Macys at half off, for sure the prices are higher today they are set perfume prices.  I got a few really good deals.

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