Retailers Ready Black Friday 'Dogfight' on TV Prices

Planning to score a new TV on Black Friday? Apparently this is the year to do so, as deals are exploding in what one analyst calls a “dogfight” between top US retailers. Last year, some retailers only slashed prices on high-end TVs. This year, expect to see discounts across the board—including cuts of up to 40% from one year ago on big-screens—plus other incentives, like free shipping, as companies do whatever they can to lure customers. The TV market is not doing well as recession shoppers avoid purchasing nonessential items, Reuters notes.

“As we look at the holiday season, we are going to play offense,” says the CEO of Hhgregg Inc. “We are going to be aggressive.” An analyst adds that the promotions are “starting even earlier than usual,” which is “upping the overall intensity. … It is going to be a dogfight. Everyone's going to be fighting because demand is not great.” In further Black Friday news, it’s not just Macy’s and Target opening at midnight. The Detroit Free Press reports that Black Friday sales are starting earlier than ever—some as early as 9pm on Thursday, for those gluttons who want to go straight from turkey to shopping. (More Black Friday stories.)