Before you head into the final stretch before the holiday rush, when stores lose all subtlety in the ways they push gift-buying, you may wonder whether to pass up November bargains in the hope that some prices will keep falling.
Last year, most customers who waited until the final days before Dec. 25 found empty shelves instead of bargains because stores had sold most of their stock, and so didn't have to cut prices to clear out holiday merchandise.
This year, most stores are heading into the holidays with only a little more inventory, so again few are desperate. But many are discounting holiday goods earlier than last year because shoppers remain cautious.
Generally, "retailers are going out with their best prices of the season around the Thanksgiving week," says John Long, a retail strategist at Kurt Salmon Associates.
Here are some tips for timing your purchases this year.
— FLAT-PANEL TVS: Particularly for lower-priced TV models, the time to act is now through Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, analysts say. Read more..
