Common wisdom dictates the best time to buy a new HDTV falls on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The holidays always seem to bring out the best deals on electronics, including entertainment systems. Although this genuinely rings true, common wisdom also dictates retailers will be vying for your attention in the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl with deals on everything from chicken wings to audio speakers. Factoring into the equation that models that didn’t sell during the holiday season are being eagerly pushed off the shelves, January and early February tend to influence some very attractive prices on televisions.
Football fans spent $12.3 billion in 2013 prior to the Super Bowl. According to the National Retail Federation, 5.1 percent of viewers plan to buy a new TV for the big game this year. A total of 108.4 million folks tuned in last year, meaning somewhere in the ballpark of 5 to 6 million will be shelling out to watch the San Francisco 49ers, the Denver Broncos, the New England Patriots, or the Seattle Seahawks pull out a victory on a brand new piece of tech.
Stores know this, envisioning droves of jersey-donned pigskin fanatics searching for the perfect price. Consequently, we will see attractive price tags, free shipping promos, and other incentives like free installation to woo prospective customers. So where are the big deals?
Best Buy: 10% to 25% off Select HDTVs
Best Buy TV deals include the Sharp 42” Class LED 1080p, which is now $130 less than the original $479.99 at $349.99. The Insignia 32” Class LED 720p HDTV is going for $50 less than the originally priced $299.99 at $179.99. Customers can find televisions equipped with smart technology and 3D significantly reduced from the suggested retail price at Best Buy.
Sony: 20% to 60% off Outlet TVs
Sony is dropping the price of the 47” W802A Series LED Internet TV from $1,499.99 to $1,099, a $400 reduction. A bigger option, the 55” Class W900A Internet TV is available for $1,300 less than the former price of $3,299 at $1,999.99. Heftier spenders will find TV deals at Sony more attractive due to higher quality, bigger televisions being marked down substantially.
Samsung: 65” Class LED 6300 Series TV reduced from $3,099.99 to $1,599.99
For a limited time, Samsung customers can get 20% to 50% off new special offers including the 64” Class LED Series TV. This is a $1,500 price reduction. Additionally, Samsung offers include $800 off the 60” Class LED FH6200 Series TV and $70 off the 29” Class LED F400 Series TV. Free shipping is always included with online Samsung purchases.
Sears Outlet: 30% to 50% off All TVs
Sears Outlet’s marquee sale is the Samsung 64” Class 1080p going for $1,849.93, which is 50 percent off the original $3,699.99. But Sears Outlet is not just providing big discounts on televisions. Customers will be able to find cables, speakers, remote controls and other accessories up to 80 percent off.
Rakuten: $250 off Toshiba 40” 1080p LED HDTV
You save 41 percent. The original price was $5.99, and now it’s $349.99 and includes free shipping.
In 2012 half of TVs had drops of 10 percent or more in the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl. The big game is less than three weeks away, so there is still time to wait it out in case bigger deals come out. If you plan to go into the actual store, remember that more than 40 percent of stores have price negotiation policies. Do some research beforehand to see if the retailer you’re visiting takes kindly to haggling.
If you're wondering where to buy a new TV for the Super Bowl, consider yourself ready. But are you ready for some football?