How hard is it to get a TV on Black Friday?

[DaughteroftheKing]

We are in the market for just a 32". I know Walmart often advertises a great price and then only has 2 in stock. But other stores??

Do I stand a chance at somewhere like Target or Meijer?

 

[undertheradar]

We are in the market for just a 32". I know Walmart often advertises a great price and then only has 2 in stock. But other stores??

Do I stand a chance at somewhere like Target or Meijer?

Most of the promo tvs are special, very basic models. They are not worth the effort invested to get them.

 

[wenrob]

I suppose it depends on your location and the size of your store. I never head out for BF openings, usally 3-4am and the last two years they've been ghost towns at those times since people went out on Thanksgiving. Anyway, the stores in my area have still have had stacks of them out through the weekend. Whether that will be the case this year or not I'm not sure but as the PP mentioned they're not worth fighting for though I was tempted to buy them because I could, lol.

 

[fluffykalie]

In mn as far as I have seen they sell out really fast. there are usely tickets handed out for people in line at most store. walmart is the only store I am not sure about they seem to have more of them. I bought a tv last year a few days before black friday at target on sale it was not that much more then the black friday tv's but had a lot better reviews.

 

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

I've never purchased a BF TV before, however I've been in line for Target's opening and they seem well organized. They typically come through the line and ask which item you are looking for or might ask, "is anyone wanting the xx tv?" and then they'll hand out a ticket for it so at least you know ahead of time. I've seen them stop ahead of me and then LOTS of people get out of line and leave since they knew they weren't getting it, lol. The only bad part to leaving is I'm sure some will take a ticket then not get the TV once they get inside or simply change their mind - who knows.

Heather

 

[puffkin]

We've been in the market for TV's 4 of the last 5 years. I have found really good deals right after Halloween up until Thanksgiving week. The models on BF are usually pretty basic and not worth the hassle. I usually come very close to their prices for a much better TV. I just got my son a very nice 32" 1080 smart TV (Sharp Aquaos) for $200 last week. Last year I did get a 60" at HHGregg for our basement. It was a Black Friday deal. I had been tracking the prices for a few months and the Black Friday deal was the best. I went the Saturday after and they still had plenty left. I actually usually have a lot of luck at Sears.

 

[brian95]

Walmart is advertising a 50in tv for 219 @6pm thanksgiving. It says brands vary by store. Might have to try for it

 

[mblondie0509]

Walmart is advertising a 50in tv for 219 @6pm thanksgiving. It says brands vary by store. Might have to try for it

No real trying necessary for this one as it is a 1 hour guarantee item. As long as you are standing in the line between 6-7pm, you are guaranteed one. If they run out in the store, you get a voucher for one. You take the voucher to the register and pay then go home and log onto a website and enter your voucher information. Your tv will be shipped to the store you request. Last year they guaranteed the item would arrive by Xmas Eve. I plan on getting in the line later as I don't want to take it home with me that night...lol

 

[tvguy]

Most of the promo tvs are special, very basic models. They are not worth the effort invested to get them.

Exactly. Some only come with a 30 day warranty, or minimal input jacks. Even if you have a problem under warranty, the best you are going to do is get your money back since many of the TV models are made just for Black Friday, and they is no comparable model to exchange it for.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Most of the promo tvs are special, very basic models. They are not worth the effort invested to get them.

I agree. There are many deals right now for better tvs where you don't have to fight crowds or wait in line.

 

[msmama]

What I've heard from people who work at Target is that they have VERY FEW of the SUPER AWESOME DEAL TVs (the BF specials mentioned above). But they have a whole lot of other TV's that are just OK deals (that are the regular TV's they'd sell other times a year). Don't know if that's actually true, but that's what the TV stocking guy told me last year when I was standing in line next to where he was working.

 

[Flamingeaux]

Try online. They have some nice deals. Sams club has a Vizio 49" for $448.

 

[taramoz]

No real trying necessary for this one as it is a 1 hour guarantee item. As long as you are standing in the line between 6-7pm, you are guaranteed one. If they run out in the store, you get a voucher for one. You take the voucher to the register and pay then go home and log onto a website and enter your voucher information. Your tv will be shipped to the store you request. Last year they guaranteed the item would arrive by Xmas Eve. I plan on getting in the line later as I don't want to take it home with me that night...lol

I got one last year at Walmart, but you had to get the the front of the line within the hour, not just in line. When they ran out of TV (they had a lot) the gave vouchers and you went online to have the TV sent to your nearest Walmart. It was easy, just crowded and the line was very long!

 

[kydisneyfans]

Stalk Amazon-we have bought 2 TVs at BF prices before BF the past few years. Both TVs are going strong.

 

[AquaDame]

Last year we wanted into Target in the evening and they still had TVs out with special Black Friday pricing. They were likely not the "best" deals, but they were certainly still good deals! We came home with a nice 32" one at a price we were happy with (and its given us no trouble so far).

 

[3boymthr]

I wouldn't buy any of the door buster TVs on Black Friday as for what you are paying you just aren't getting that great of a TV. But if you are looking for a decent deal I got one on an all day special that I was very happy with - not as much savings only 30% off but still a good price especially when combined with the buy an item between 6-12 deal that got me an extra discount (in store GC when you spend $X) the store had running. Of course it was not one of the 50 inch monster TVs either. I got a 26" for DS for his bedroom/to connect to his xBox.

 

[jpeppers]

It definitely depends on where you live. I bought my 60" Vizio smart TV last year a few days after Black Friday for $648. I didn't initially want it but it kept taunting me every time I went in so I finally pulled the trigger. That is the way it usually is in my local store but doubt it would be that way 20 miles down the road in the bigger town. I do agree that in a lot of cases the great deals are for crap products but this TV has been fantastic and I feel like I have already gotten my moneys worth out of it.

 

[dpswift]

Most people looking for BF tv deals want the larger screen ones. Despite the fact that of the 2 BF tvs we bought have been great many report not such good luck and many are returned broken.

For a 32 inch you should be able to get one at a decent price. The 32 inchers tend to be the same tvs that are sold year round. They will most likely not have the same percentage off as the deal that everyone waits hours for but should be more reliable.

 

[mpgrandpa]

We bought a TV on Black Friday several years ago. But the TV malfunctioned and when we tried to take it back they wouldn't honor the warranty. I bought the extended warranty, but that was through the manufacturer, not Wal-Mart. We ended up having to mail the TV to Emerson wand wait for them to mail us a new one. It was a huge hassle.

Wal-Mart is difficult to deal with in these types of situations.

 

[MillauFr]

We bought a TV on Black Friday several years ago. But the TV malfunctioned and when we tried to take it back they wouldn't honor the warranty. I bought the extended warranty, but that was through the manufacturer, not Wal-Mart. We ended up having to mail the TV to Emerson wand wait for them to mail us a new one. It was a huge hassle.

Wal-Mart is difficult to deal with in these types of situations.

It is not just Wal-Mart that does this. Many stores do. Which is why I refuse to buy a TV any other place besides Costco from now on. They extend the manufacturer's warranty on laptops and TV to 2 years from date of purchase for free. No bogus sales pitch for some expensive insurance.