GREENSBORO, N.C. — With Black Friday and other holiday sales, November is one of the best months to score discounts on just about anything, but this year, supply chain disruptions have shoppers wondering whether they’ll be able to find anything, let alone a good deal. The experts at Consumer Reports say the sales and selection are there, but the most important thing to think about this month is shopping early.
"The earlier you shop, the more options you are going to have, and you’ll have less worry about shipping delays," said Samantha Gordon of Consumer Reports.
Consumer Reports tracks the prices of many of its top-tested products all year long, so we know exactly when they go on deep discount. Here are the top products to look out for in this month’s Best Time to Buy.
Lenovo Duet Chromebook tablet on sale for $249 at Amazon. It’s one of CR’s top picks for kids because of its parental controls.
Big TV's. Prices on TVs have gone up a bit this year, so the discounts won’t be as big as you might expect around Black Friday. The best deals will be on the larger TVs, 65 inches and bigger.
The Samsung 75-inch QLED 4K Smart TV now costs $1,900 at Best Buy. CR says the family of Samsung QLED 4K TVs have excellent color accuracy, superior deep black levels, and a wide viewing angle.
The JLab JBuds Air. These truly wireless earbuds are now on sale for $24 to $49 at Amazon and Target. The affordable earbuds score comparably to higher-end brands and even outperform more expensive models for sound quality.
Shark Vertex UltraLight corded stick vac now costs $240 at Bed Bath &Beyond and Amazon. CR says the 2.9-pound vacuum aces its tests for carpets, bare floors, and pet hair.
Dreo Air Fryer now costs $81 at Amazon. Unlike most air fryers, CR says this model is easy to clean.
And if you’re worried about prices dropping, check to see whether the retailer has a price-match guarantee. That way if the price goes down, you might be entitled to a refund of the difference.