Beware These 13 Repeat, Higher-Priced Black Friday ‘Deals’

Perhaps one of the easiest ways to tell if a Black Friday deal is a true steal might be to research what the retailer charged for the same item last year.

Many retailers are offering some of the same deals in 2016 as they did in 2015 — with some stores charging higher prices this year, according to a new analysis by BestBlackFriday.com.

The website compared items and prices in 25 retailers’ 2016 Black Friday ads with those in their 2015 ads.

The findings include:

• 24 stores (96 percent) have repeated at least one deal from last year.
• 20 stores (80 percent) have repeated five or more deals from last year.
• 13 stores (52 percent) have at least one repeat deal that’s more expensive in 2016.

Examples of repeat deals that are more expensive this year include:

1. Costco: SanDisk 64GB Ultra Plus MicroSD card for $10 off (compared with $15 off in 2015)
2. Dell: New Alienware 15 laptop for $1,299.99 ($1,199.99 in 2015)
3. Goody’s/Stage Stores: Great Hotels Collection Microfiber Sheets start at $19.99 ($14.99 in 2015)
4. Kmart: Proctor Silex 2-Slice Toaster for $4 ($3 in 2015)
5. Kohl’s: The Big One King Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper for $29.99 ($27.99 in 2015)
6. Michaels: Loops & Threads Cozy Wool Yarn for $5 ($4.49 in 2015)
7. Sam’s Club: Set of four BFGoodrich tires for $50 off ($50 to $70 off in 2015)
8. Sears: Travelers Choice 19.5-inch Linden Spinners luggage for $39.99 ($34.99 in 2015)
9. Shopko: Rosetti handbags for $19.99 ($15.99 in 2015)
10. Staples: Brother MFC-J480dw Color Inkjet All-In-One Printer for $59.99 ($49.99 in 2015)
11. Target: All sweaters for 30 percent off (40 percent off in 2015)
12. True Value: 24-count Rayovac batteries for $4.99 ($3.99 in 2015)
13. Walmart: Crock-Pot 5-quart Slow Cooker for $9.76 ($9.72 in 2015)

BestBlackFriday.com cites far fewer examples of repeat deals that are cheaper this year:

1. Harbor Freight Tools: 44-inch 13-drawer industrial quality roller cabinet for $339.99 ($349.99 in 2015)
2. Petsmart: Purina Tidy Cats Breeze Litter Box for $18.99 ($19.99 in 2015)

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