Not all Black Friday sales offer equally good deals — and a new analysis illustrates just how true that is this year.
WalletHub found that the average discount offered by major retailers ranges from as little as 11.7% to as much as 58.5%. The average Black Friday discount is 32.1% among all the retailers included in the WalletHub analysis.
This analysis is based on a review of nearly 5,000 deals from the Black Friday ads of 21 of the biggest U.S. retailers.
The smallest and biggest Black Friday discounts
At each of the eight lowest-ranked retailers, the average discount is below 25%:
- Ace Hardware: average Black Friday discount of 11.7%
- Sam’s Club: 19.1%
- Newegg: 20%
- Costco: 20.5%
- Overstock.com: 22.1%
- Best Buy: 22.3%
- Target: 22.7%
- Dell Home: 24.3%
At the other end of the spectrum are three retailers that offer discounts of at least 50%. They are:
- Macy’s: average Black Friday discount of 58.5%
- J.C. Penney: 57.6%
- Belk: 56.7%
What it means for you
Discounts can be deceiving.
Multiple department stores have been sued over the years for manipulating prices in a way that makes discounts seem bigger than they actually are.
Additionally, it’s possible that the discounts offered by wholesale chains like Costco and Sam’s Club are smaller compared with those of other retailers because wholesale chains’ everyday prices are already lower than those of other retailers.
So, while analyses like WalletHub’s are handy tools for deal seekers, you should always do your own homework. Even on Black Friday or Cyber Monday, you should compare prices before plunking down your hard-earned cash, especially for a big-ticket purchase.
For more tips on preparing for this Black Friday, which falls on Nov. 26, check out “9 Things You Should Never Buy on Black Friday.”
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