When Is the Best Time to Buy a TV?
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If you’re looking for a TV deal that matches the size of your dream big screen, timing is everything, according to experts. Three of the best times of year to buy a TV (and save money) are Super Bowl season, spring and Black Friday.
Super Bowl season
When: January and February.
Why: The biggest football game of the year brings big TV discounts, says Pete Putman, former education director for the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers.
What’s the winning combination? The Super Bowl is an ideal event to highlight TVs, especially those with larger screens. Also, current TV models have been out for nearly a year by February, so there’s been a natural decrease in price, says Jim Willcox, multimedia content specialist at Consumer Reports.
What to expect: Football-inspired sales start in January and run until the Super Bowl in February. Look for good deals on big screen models at the usual big-box stores — like Best Buy or Walmart — or on a manufacturer’s site, like Samsung.
TV release cycle
When: Spring.
Why: New TV models start hitting the market in March or April, Willcox says. Once they do, the prior year's models will likely be discounted. If you don’t need the latest features on the most recent releases, you can usually score a year-old but still brand new set at a discount.
What to expect: Putman says to expect closeouts on the prior year’s models after the new sets are released. Closeouts can also extend into the summer.
Black Friday
When: November; in particular, the day after Thanksgiving.
Why: The holiday season is the best time to purchase a TV at Amazon, a company spokesperson says, "particularly the weeks of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, when customers can discover a wide range of TV brands available at great prices."
Amazon isn't alone. Willcox points out that lots of major retailers compete on Black Friday, and in the age of online shopping, pricing is often reactive; stores can respond to competitors' prices in real time throughout the day.
What to expect: TVs are usually hundreds of dollars off during Black Friday promotions.
But you’ll also discover that some manufacturers create special TV models specifically for Black Friday. Willcox says these sets, called derivatives, can be similar to current models but might lack some features. If you search for an advertised model number and can’t find any user reviews or don’t see it sold anywhere else, it’s likely a derivative.
TV-buying tips
Regardless of when you buy, deploy these savvy shopping strategies year-round:
Go to the store. While you should always compare prices online, Putman says there’s value in seeing a TV’s display and size in person.
Scour social media. Retailers often reward their social media followers with notifications about sales. These act as another “tool in your arsenal” in your pursuit of a good deal, Willcox says.
Look for a price match guarantee. Check a retailer’s price matching policy. Some stores will refund you the difference if an item drops in price within a certain window after purchase. The one caveat? Willcox says items purchased during sale periods like Black Friday are often excluded from price matching.
Do your homework. Electronics retailer Best Buy also said the lead-up to the Super Bowl and the holiday season are two of the best times to buy a TV. But if you're shopping in a pinch, the store also offers a Deal of the Day section. If you can't time your TV purchase, you might still be able to find a deal. Other retailers may have similar daily deal offers.
Consider forgoing advanced technology: If you’re not huge on tech when it comes to TVs, consider going for a model that has solid primary features. It could cost more if you opt for a TV with advanced smart features, but may not be worth the added cost if you don’t actually use them.
