Waiting Pays Off For Holiday Bargain Hunters
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The number of last-minute holiday shoppers could actually beat the crowds seen on Black Friday.
According to an online site that tracks pricing, this weekend's shoppers will find the best deals.
After Thanksgiving, deals hovered around 33 percent. But now the average discount is more than 43 percent.
So we went to the experts to find out which items will see the deepest discounts. And parents, you're in luck.
Better Than Black Friday
Those fighting to be first in line on Black Friday do it because they refuse to fall victim to retail loss.
But what if that sense of scarcity is nothing more than just that, a sense.
"Most products will be available post the 25th of December, even though sellers will try to give you the impression that they're all going to be gone," said professor Akshay Rao of the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management.
Rao says the reason for deep discounts late in the game is overstock.
"As the date approaches, [retailers] start to worry, because [merchandise is] going to be relatively valueless on the 26th of December," he said.
Retailers hope last minute deep discounts will entice buyers who have been on the fence.
According to Zingsale, a site that tracks pricing on more than 10,000 products, you'll get the best deal on toys. Those could be slashed 60 percent.
"They tend to be marked up very high to start with," Rao said.
He added that no matter what the item is, it's a good idea to monitor the price and the quantity left in stock. If they're in, wait it out.
Rao even admitted to playing the waiting game himself.
"Normally, it's between the 23rd and the 24th of December," he said.
According to ZingSale, the other items that see the biggest price drops late in the game are winter clothes and computer printers.
For a full list of deeply discounted last-minute items, click here.
