Black Friday, like everything else this year, is going to be a little—nay—a lot weird.
The good thing is, largely equivalent discounts are being offered online—sorry to steal your thunder Cyber Monday!—so you need not worry about being lost in a stampede as you rush for that new top-of-the-line toaster that you absolutely cannot imagine life without.
amNewYork Metro has scoured the web for the best deals out there, and here are some of our favorites:
Bite that Apple
Marketing geniuses Apple are predictably keeping their cards close to their chest when it comes to deal specifics. However, we do know that Apple AirPods have dropped to their lowest price yet at $119 courtesy of Walmart. Walmart will also offer Apple Watch Series 3—again at a record-busting price of $179. These product drops are expected on Nov. 25.
For you music lovers, Apple are offering a 3-month free subscription for Apple music that can be paired to your echo dot for great sound quality as you attempt those home workouts you promised to do daily beginning in March.
Apple discount rumors also include discounts on their iPad range and, perhaps, on MacBook’s too —although this is completely speculative as of now. No mention has been made of iPhone deals. I’m no psychic, but I’d file that under “wishful thinking.”
Headphones galore
In addition to that Apple AirPod drop, Powerbeats pro wireless over-ear headphones have dropped from $250 to $200 on Amazon, where Beats Solo3 wireless on-ear headphones are down to $179 from $200.
This makes for an ideal gift for the possession retaining challenged like myself: leaving your headphones in a cab hardly compares to losing an umbrella, insofar as financial losses go.
Nothing makes our retail hearts beat like Macy’s
If you need it, Macy’s has it. And we love it. Especially when the holidays roll around.
Macy’s Black Friday deals are quite simply too long to list. But favorites include 50% off Free People sweaters and other items, up to 75% of men’s shirts, 60% of men’s and women’s coats, $29.99 Camden sheet sets and $69.99 for an Instant Pot Nova 8 quart pressure cooker
Shoes, shoes, shoes and more shoes:
As well as ankle boots and knee-high options starting at $19.99, Macy’s is offering everything from sneakers to duck boots to 5-inch heels. Designers include Betsy Johnson, Michael Kors, Nike and DKNY. With the nixing of party season, we may not have many events to attend this year. That being said: strut NYC, strut.
There’s a new “ugly sweater” holiday trend in town: matching family pajama sets, because nothing says “we live in a happy, completely drama-free home” more clearly than Holiday-themed sleepwear. Check out Macy’s many marked down options—including this delightfully jolly set down from $19.99 to $7.99. And in face of the haters remember, it’s not lame, it’s bonding.
For beauty options at Macy’s, if you like your lippy to match your mood, score a 12-piece Mac lipstick set for $55.87 down from its original price of $74.50. Mac nine-shade eye shadow pallets are also marked down from $32 to $22.40.
Get a Mac 24-hour liner for $15.40 down from $22 and tame those COVID brows with Mac’s Shape and Brow Tint down from $23 to $16.10.
Body shapers
Yes, there is a world beyond Kim Kardashian West’s Skims line, and the products come highly rated. Yummie and our old favorite, Spanx, have many great offers this year. Stocking up now in anticipation of holiday weight gain would seem to be prudent. Spanx is offering 20% off of selected shapewear, while new-kid-on-the-block Yummie is offering 30% off of selected items. West’s Skims are reportedly preparing to drop some deals, as is makeup mogul Kylie Jenner, but these claims are unsubstantiated as of press time.
Treat yo self
Although the holidays are typically a season for giving, the taxing nature of this year is more than an excuse to treat yourself to some beautification and relaxation. Sephora is offering a multitude of deals, with more to be announced. Currently, they have Urban Decay’s Naked Honey Pallet on offer for $25—a whopping 48% saving; and the ultimate crowd-pleaser Ultra Facial Cleanser by Kiehls, a foaming cleanser formulated to help remove excess oil, dirt and debris is available for $15 down from $29.
Us New Yorkers are all afraid of second-wave restrictions that could lead to the temporary shutting down of salons, as happened in lockdown number 1. Stocking up on quality hair products may therefore be prudent: Bumble and bumble’s Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Shampoo is available for only $10 at Sephora (formerly going for $25) and Living Proof’s No Frizz Instant De-Frizzer at Sephora tames that spring/summer frizz we hope to avoid. It runs at $16, down from $41.
Sephora also offers an extensive range of non-bank-breaking Clinique products to keep you fresh-faced this winter.
Jewelry
Some say watches are a thing of the past, but if you can’t quite afford that Rolex (yet) Macy’s is offering deep discounts on classy male and female Bulova watches. Macy’s is also offering 60% off of select diamond jewelry.
Pandemic anxiety keeping you up at night? Look no further than a Black Friday mattress deal
Casper is offering 30% off bundles, 15% off mattresses and 10% off pillows bedding and more. Savings could add up to $500 or more.
If you enjoy adjustable and temperature-controlled slumber, sleepnumber.com is offering $500+ discounts on its versatile selection of beds, for example, its signature 360-degree Smart Bed, reduced to $4,299 from $5,099.
And speaking of home furnishings: Wayfair will be offering 80% reductions on most items for Black Friday.
Stop the spread: game instead
Black Friday is a dream come true for gamers, not only in console discounts but also on the highly addictive new releases we’ve come to love:
Ghost of Tsushima ($39.99 at Best Buy and Game Stop)
Watch Dogs: Legion ($30 at Walmart)
The Last of Us Part II ($29.99 Best Buy and GameStop, Walmart, Target)
Death Stranding ($19.99 Best Buy GameStop Walmart), Marvel’s Avengers ($29.99 Best Buy), and Luigi’s Mansion 3 ($30 Walmart)
As consoles come, the most in-demand product on sale this year is the Nintendo Switch bundle with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (digital download) and 3 months of Nintendo Switch online for $299.99 for the package. With crystal clear graphics and adventures galore, let’s be real: for this of us old enough – ahem – we’ve been dying to race through a high-res Rainbow Road for decades now.
Facebook is reducing its Portal from $129 to $65. Tech such as this is the perfect way to celebrate the holidays without putting those we love and risk.
For you amateur—and pro—photographers out there, Best Buy has a stellar deal: snatch a Sony Alpha a7 III for $1,899.99 down from $2,199.99
Also snag a huge smart TV, the Samsung -70 inch class 6 series—a steal at $529.99 down from $749.99
Spending more time indoors has its advantages…
Check out Victoria’s Secret for Black Friday deals on everything from lingerie to sleepwear to perfume. If you are feeling extra-racy, luxury purveyor Agent Provocateur is sure to get pulses racing. That being said, Agent Provocateur’s range tends toward the smaller sizes. If body positivity is what you seek, Rhianna’s Savage X Fenty may be perfect, and the singer-come-designer is offering 65% off of her underwear site-wide for VIP members.
Good vibrations
Audio professional or amateur dabbler, Guitar Center and Sam Ash have some splendid deals to maximize your musicality. We offer our top 5 marked-down instrument picks:
- Gibson Custom 57 Les Paul Standard VOS with Bigsby, Candy Green. It’s hard to beat the craftsmanship of a Gibson. Without nerding out about pickups, know this: this guitar will give you that unmistakable classic tone, with a slight chord tremelo and a chunky C neck that makes virtuosity a breeze (no refunds offered on that claim). Plus, it looks seriously cool. And in our humble opinion, green is the new black. I mean, how many musicians can you name that rock an emerald-green guitar? On this, I’m willing to be corrected, either via email or at @ShahgholiHazel on Twitter. And, for a mere $5,299.00 it could be yours as opposed to its $6,099.00 non-sale price-tag.
- Aside from Rickenbackers—the bass to end all basses—fender ranks high in its offerings. And the Fender American Professional II Jazz Bass Maple Fingerboard in Dark Night is one of the best out there. Debuting over 60 years ago, the model has gone under constant revisions, without jeopardizing its signature sound. It is perfect for both touring musicians, and, when they return, Bushwick hopefuls. The bass is lightweight, with a thin neck, and is extremely comfortable to play. For a—relatively— bargainous price of $1,599.99, it could be yours!
- Looking for something a touch more affordable in order to nurture those folk sounds with an electric edge? Well look no further than Mitchell Terra Series T413CEBST Auditorium Solid Torrefied Spruce Top Acoustic Electric Cutaway Guitar Edge Burst. The guitar features a rosewood fingerboard for easy practice, is robust and easy to tune. This beautiful guitar evokes a truly vintage sound and an ergonomic forearm rest adds to the instrument’s relaxed style and comfortable playability. Formerly $499.99, the guitar is currently selling for $419.99. Not a huge discount, but worth it for a robust piece of kit that will likely last a lifetime.
- When it comes to keyboards and synthesizers, life can be tough. Just as with Rickenbackers, Moog, NORD and Roland, keyboards basically never go on sale. But fret not, amNewYork Metro found you a good option at Sam Ash. The Korg KRONOS V3 88-key Professional Workstation was developed in response to today’s most demanding, accomplished performers and producers, embodying over 50 years of artistic vision and production expertise. With nine distinct synthesis engines and a complete suite of performance and productions tools, KRONOS is truly one of the most versatile synthesizers on the market. Although admittedly pricey at $3,392.99, it retails for $5,700.00, representing a gargantuan saving of $2307.01 for this Black Friday steal. Features include an enhanced grand piano sound engine, thousands of songs, 21 GB of preset data covering a variety of genres, therefore creating an almost unmatched sound gallery. Drum tracks and a user-friendly layout makes this the ideal tool for launching your new band, Kraftwerk 2.0
- And, just for fun, if you couldn’t play music to save your life, Sam Ash has discounted cowbells, starting at $8.99.
Fashion, miscellaneous
Urban Outfitters: $10 off orders worth $50 and more, $50 off $150, $75 off $200, or they will take 25% off your entire purchase.
Other retail-giant offers include Bloomingdale’s 25% off a selection of both regular and sale items.
Ultra-fashionable, trend-setting retail store and website All SAINTS is taking 30% off of everything—yes, you heard me, everything—until Dec. 1. Sizes sell out quickly so make haste!
Black Friday bummers
Obviously, the home-exercise industry made a fortune this past year – looking at you Peloton. So, unfortunately, exercise discounts are not going to be featured this year. Flashback to 2019 and all kinds of “buy me” ploys were being offered: payment installments, deep discounts, free kit, but no more. Which is a shame—as many are still fearful to hit the gym.
For updates on new deals and further price drops as they occur, visit amny.com
