When it comes to shopping for toy deals this Christmas season, don’t play around. The largest number of bargains are coming Black Friday week, predicts DealNews.com.
Amazon, which will launch discounts on a massive list of toys beginning the day before Thanksgiving, will have three times the number of toys on sale Black Friday week as its nearest competitor, Wal-Mart, according to the bargain-scouring site and Money Talks News partner.
While Toys R Us does not match the number of toy discounts offered by Amazon or Wal-Mart, DealNews said the toy giant did just lower its free-shipping purchase threshold to $19 from $49, which will generate savings for many online shoppers.
If you miss Black Friday week, toy sellers will revive discounts from Dec. 7 to Dec. 13, it says.
Whatever you do, don’t wait until the last minute. DealNews expects only Amazon to offer big last-minute markdowns — as much as 70 percent on select toys.
“Contrary to the belief that stores will want to dump their holiday toy stock right before Christmas, you’re going to see neither the deep discounts nor the assortment of toys that you’ve passed up throughout the season,” DealNews warns.
Discount predictions don’t mean the specific toy you seek will necessarily be marked down, either, unless a store is advertising an across-the-board sale, it says.
Wal-Mart, in a Black Friday ad released on its app, included these among its toy specials to be available online all day Thanksgiving Day or in-store at 6 p.m. and all day Black Friday while supplies last:
- Star Wars Lightsaber: $5
- Sky Viper X-Quad Stunt R/C Drone: $25
- Board games including Sorry!, Trouble and Connect 4: $4.88 each
- Marvel 20-inch action figures: $10 each
- 200-piece tin art sets featuring characters from “Frozen,” “Minions” and others: $10 each
- Lego or Duplo Large Creative Box: $30 each
If you’re trying to decide what to buy, Toys R Us usually is right on with its prediction of the “Fabulous 15” hottest toys of the season, DealNews says. But that means they expect those toys to fly off the shelves, marked down or not.
If you need more ideas, see other hottest-toy predictions, such as the top 10 by Toy Insider’s Laurie Schacht.
If you’re looking for deals on Star Wars collectibles, DealNews warns you may have to visit a galaxy far, far away. What scarce discounting does take place will result in quick sellouts, it says.
A more down-to-earth discount prospect will likely be Legos. Black Friday week markdowns could reach 60 percent on Lego sets. Another round of Lego markdowns, DealNews predicts, is expected the week of Dec. 14-20.
As Black Friday approaches, follow these tips to save top dollar:
- We’ll offer more information on specific stores for the best deals. So if you’re not already getting our updates, subscribe now.
- Remember when shopping online to always start with a rebate site. They can automatically earn you 3 to 15 percent. Our favorite is Ebates. Click the link, create a free account, get money back whenever you buy online.
- Meanwhile, Amazon is already rolling out its Black Friday deals on a daily basis. Click here to explore.
What’s your plan for shopping on and around Black Friday? Share with us in comments or on our Facebook page.
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