Get ready — Christmas is less than six weeks away. With retailers struggling and competing for consumer dollars earlier than ever, now may be the best time to start shopping. “Good Morning America” financial contributor Mellody Hobson has the scoop on where the best holiday deals are right now.
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Mellody Hobson shares tips on where and when to shop.
2008 was the worst holiday sales season in 42 years, according to the National Retail Federation, and the projections for 2009 are even worse. The NRF is expecting another drop of 1 percent in sales, which amounts to a whopping $4 billion. Hobson says that’s causing retailers to roll out the red carpet to consumers earlier than ever to get your holiday dollars.
BOOKS
Where the Deals Are:
$9 book deals at Walmart, Amazon.com, Target
Hobson says the fierce competition for book sales started when Walmart announced that its online stores would charge just $9, with free shipping, for some of the biggest books coming out for the holidays.
With Walmart offering that price for books, such as John Grisham’s latest and Sarah Palin’s upcoming biography, retailers, such as Amazon.com and Target were forced to match them. That’s great news for shoppers with book lovers on their list.
Toys, Electronics and DVDs
Where the Deals Are:
$10 Toys at Walmart
$10 DVDs at Walmart
$10 Toys at Toys “R” Us
Toy retailers make 40 percent of their money in the final three months of the year, so the holiday season is very important to them, especially since sales have faltered in recent years.
Walmart is advertising 100 different toys for $10 or less, Hobson says, up from 10 toys last year. The newest DVDs are also on sale for $10 at Walmart, and shipping is free. You’ll also find big discounts in electronics.
This season Toys “R” Us is having one of the biggest toy sales ever. It is selling 6,000 toys for under $10.
If you buy through the Toys “R” Us Web site, shipping is free for purchases of $45 or more, and almost anything you want is deeply discounted. Hasbro board games, such as Candyland, are selling for $1.99 after rebate. Many brands of bikes, scooters, and power wheels are 25 percent off. You can also save on electronics like the Sony clock radio for your iPhone, which has an instant $20 savings.
To read more deals logon to: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/MellodyHobson/holiday-christmas-gift-shopping-deals-sales-savings-mellody/story?id=9066061&page=2
