2015's Best & Worst Stores for Black Friday Deals

Rachel Bertsche
·Writer
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For parents looking to save big on their kids’ holiday gifts this year, a Black Friday shopping trip might be in order. But figuring out where to head first on November 27 — JCPenney? Toys R Us? Kohl’s? — can be tricky. The good news: A new survey from WalletHub does the work for you, identifying which stores give the biggest discounts and how much you can expect to save on gifts like toys or electronics.

According to the National Retail Federation, holiday sales are likely to reach $630.5 billion this year, up 3.7 percent from 2014. But shopping on Black Friday can keep your spending down — if you know where to go. According to WalletHub, which surveyed 8,000 deals from 30 of the country’s biggest retailers, department stores offer the biggest discounts. At JCPenney, where the overall discount is the highest, shoppers can expect to save a whopping 68 percent on their holiday purchases. Great savings can also be found at Kohl’s (66.7 percent), Stage (63.9 percent), Belk (59.5 percent), Macy’s (56 percent) and Kmart (50.1 percent). As websites go, the biggest savings are on Groupon, with an average overall discount of 63.7 percent.

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WalletHub determined the best stores for saving in each product category on Black Friday. (Click image to enlarge)

The best news for parents? Nearly 23 percent (22.81) of all the Black Friday discounts will be on toys — that’s more than any other product category. Overall, the average toy discount will be about 38 percent, WalletHub found. (The greatest discounts — an average of 73 percent — will be enjoyed by those shopping for jewelry. Maybe a worthwhile hint for a loved one?)

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The most discounted items are in the toys category, representing nearly 23 percent of all sale offers. (Click image to enlarge)

Of course, knowing where not to buy is equally important on the biggest shopping day of the year. WalletHub found that the Costco has the lowest overall discounts on Black Friday — only 19.5 percent. Other stores with relatively small discounts: Sam’s Club (24.9 percent), Big Lots (27.1 percent), Walgreens (28.7 percent), Toys R Us (28.9 percent) and GameStop (29.2 percent) Online, the smallest discounts will be on Amazon, at only 25.8 percent.

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Parents can expect to save 38 percent on toys on Black Friday. Jewelry shoppers will save an incredible 73 percent. (Click image to enlarge)

And before you decide to use this opportunity to buy your children their first cell phones or laptops, take note: At only 31 percent, “computers & phones” is the least discounted product category.

Perhaps the biggest takeaway is this: The average overall discount on Black Friday is 40 percent. So if you’re checking out and find that you’re saving less than that, head for the door — without your purchases. You’ll save more somewhere else. Otherwise, start stuffing those stockings!

(Top photo: Corbis Images, Graphics: Wallet Hub)

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