khall1971

I don't like iPods, sorry. I'm replacing a much-beloved Toshiba Gigabeat with a 60 GB HDD that I lost in a fire, and the Zune is about the same price as it--but with 120 GBs. It has about the same architecture as the Gigabeat, which I like and am used to.

I am really surprised there's not one BF ad with a Microsoft Zune on sale. Seriously. Not even at regular price with a gift card crumb thrown in, like you get with Apple products and game consoles. Another thing I'm amazed I haven't seen is any $150 laptops, like in previous years--the lowest prices seem to be around $399. Anyone else surprised not to see something?

Thanks! I wonder if other stores will do the same.

Luckily, it's a paid holiday for me this year. If it hadn't been, I would have requested it off about 8 months ago.

Thanksgiving Day: Westerville, OH. BF: at my laptop (and later at The Highlands shopping center) in Wheeling, WV.

My take on it is that it's become muddy somehow. The deals are still pretty impressive, but they're less of a divergence from everyday prices than they used to be. Also, like another person mentioned, there are so many other super duper mega sales the rest of the month and through December that it's hard to maintain focus. My attention is scattered all over the place now with other sales, and trying to decide if they're comparable to BF, etc. For example, when Sears had its Friends & Family VIP night a couple weeks ago, they offered some of their BF ad items--but not all of them--at BF prices, in some cases with an additional discount. I had a house fire this year, so I need to buy major appliances, electronics, DVDs, etc., etc., and I'd planned to stop at Sears on BF. Well, in light of the VIP sale, I had to recalculate for all the big ticket items I'd been planning to buy on BF; since the VIP sale did end up being cheaper, I made some hasty plans to buy a stove, dishwasher and 3 TVs that night. Now I feel like I've got to start scouring around more to see if other sales are going to be even better than BF. BF has almost gotten lost in the shuffle. It's all exhausting, which tends to take the fun out of most anything. It would have been so much easier to get everything on BF, and have just one focal point. I don't do well with scattered.

Anyone have any ideas on the chances of getting free shipping with online BF purchases?

To do your research, look for model numbers that are very similar to the ones in the ads. For example, one of the Samsung HDTVs I'm considering is LN46A500. This seems to be a special BF item for several of the big retailers, as this number is not listed on Samsung's website or anywhere else. Samsung does, however, make an LN46A550 (just one digit off the other number). The BF 500 model will probably be virtually identical to the 550, and I've been able to find oodles of info about that one online. Best of luck in your research.

If I can put my 2 cents in, I have had two eMachines over the years, and they performed like champs. The second one, purchased in 2002, is still going strong. My husband is a gamer, and we are both pretty picky about electronics! With periodic hardware and software upgrades, this PC has stayed pretty current and viable.

If you go to the Playstation website (http://playstation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/playstation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=232), it has a PS2 and original PS backwards compatibility chart for all the recent PS3 models. It looks like nothing currently on shelves is likely to be compatible. The site also says to check the specs on the box of the particular unit you're buying to see the compatibility. There's a footnote, too: "If a PLAYSTATION 3 is not backward compatible, you will not be able to add this function through any hardware (i.e., changing the hard disk drive) or software (i.e., updates, homebrew) upgrades or modifications." The whole thing is a major bummer.

Was this ever answered? I'm wondering too. Hubby and I are both going to sign up for Vonage with different addresses, just to get the desktop and laptop rebates, IF it's worth it to just cancel one later. Anyone know?

I live in Wheeling, WV, and my closest CC is in St. Clairsville, OH, about 15 minutes away. The population this CC serves is about 50,000 people, mostly blue collar. We have no BB or CompUSA, so this CC is the go-to for electronics, computers, and a/v. Even so, there are usually only about a dozen cars in the parking lot at any given time. Has anyone been to this particular CC, or one in a similar type of area, on BF? If so, how early did you get there? The only line I've ever seen around here on BF was at WalMart, and it didn't start forming until about an hour before opening. I never checked CC's before. I'd like to get there at 4am. CC's deals are so good this year, though, that there might be a deluge of "campers." I really can't guess. Can anyone help? Should I plan to be there earlier? My husband may execute me if we go any earlier, tho.

I don't think you have to bring the unit in--just the receipt and maybe the Proof of Purchase/UPC. Call the store and see.

You could do what I plan to do: remove the bow and logo, and replace it with another piece of trim. Maybe even a pin--that way I can change it out for different seasons. Yeah, their samples are okay, but I'm not into the uber-expensive, high end stuff they're hawking now, or the 128 different anti-wrinkle treatments their sample collections usually come with. How can you see any results from such a small sample of those?? However, I am excited to get the Goldie micro mini gloss (so cute!), the Aquatanica spray (that stuff is heavenly on a blistering summer day), the C.O. Bigelow hair mask, and the Molton Brown shower gel (last one I got of theirs was very nice).

Yes, it does say this throughout the site, but try it--it works! Wow, that must be a glitch in their shopping cart application, because it just let me process my order with only the Goldie tote and the free Signature item. I paid $16.96, including tax & shipping! I wasn't all that interested in the tote until I found this thread--thanks!

That's the beauty of it. You get zero percent financing, and don't have to make a huge down payment or big subsequent payments. Beats the heck out of using credit cards if you don't need the item right away--I think most people use it for Christmas. That way they can prepay and not get stuck with huge bills come January. It's also a great budgeting-lesson tool for teens. They can buy their own clothes and stuff with their allowance and NOT your credit card. I had to do this in high school, and was so thankful for it. Here you're correct. At least they're getting something for their trouble, if not the full retail value. I thought layaway programs also had penalties, so that if you change your mind later you forfeit the down payment or some such. I could be wrong. Actually, no. If there's a time-sensitive item (such as the new Tickle Me Elmo that's coming out), that you know you "have" to have, and you wait until you have saved up for it, they'll probably all be gone. Layaway is not related to an item's price. I'm with ya on the rent-to-own. In that case you're paying extortionist interest rates! But then, if you only need an item for a month, it may be a better value in the end. I rented a couch for 2 months while waiting for the one I ordered to arrive. Certainly cheaper than spending several hundred dollars to buy a couch, even with the interest!:)