Posted Nov 14, 2007 - 10:35 am
I think the biggest complaint about the BF "deals" are mainly in TV prices. There are no jaw-dropping deals like we saw last year. If there were a $300 32" LCD HDTV that would bring people out. I also would be pleased with a "brand" name 32" to be around the $400 range. If there were a 42" for $500-600 that also would get people out in droves.
Maybe this just isn't the year. Last year before BF, HDTVs were not selling as expected. That led to some insane BF deals. Typically, after a year of technology improving, last year's TVs should be significantly cheaper. Of course as we all know, they are not. K-Mart is selling pretty much the same Olevia 32 " HDTV (for their thanksgiving sale) at $420 that was sub $400 at Microcenter or around ~$450 at other places last year. This year's cheapest HDTV that is 32+" is Circuit City's Element 32 " that is $400, and if you look at the feedback on this TV at their website you will see that it is HORRIBLE even at that price; it is much worse than the Olevia they were selling last year for $475!
I'm not really sure what is responsible, but HDTV prices are just generally out of whack across the board. It's like they can't figure out what the market will "bear" for HDTV prcies. And the truth is that HDTVs are still massively over-priced for the established brands. You could have a 32" HDTV for $480-850 right now depending on brand-- which is a huge differential for the same product, and that's not even a sale price. Is it worth it to pay twice as much for a Sony / Toshiba than a Vizio or Element? I don't know... But I really wish the industry would get their crap together. It's so freaking unstable right now, and as a result, there are a TON of disappointed people right now at this big dud of a Black Friday.
I think, overall, the retailers are trying to discount the least amount of money on their TVs and still bring out the crowds. I HOPE someone is reading the message boards around sites like this and will see that it's going to backfire on them BIG TIME.
I am holding out for some great last minute HDTV to go on sale like everyone else, but I'm not holding my breath.
When all the retailers see the numbers for this year's BF and see that the numbers are way down from last year, they will have no one to blame but themselves.