Black Friday Guide to Epic Electronics, Tech and Appliance Deals

Black Friday is the unofficial start to the holiday shopping season. To encourage consumers to spend, retailers may offer significant discounts. While thousands of items will go on sale, electronics, appliances and phones tend to have the best deals.

Here's how to focus on the big-ticket items that can give you the best discounts.

Televisions are often among the best things to buy during Black Friday for two reasons. First, manufacturers anticipate that more people will want to stay indoors during the winter, so TVs are a primary source of entertainment. Second, new televisions are typically released in the new year, so clearing inventory of old stock is often a priority.

When buying a television, be sure to research it in advance. Many TVs have similar specifications, but the quality can be quite different. You'll want to consider the brand, size, resolution, input ports and cost.

You can search for Synchrony HOME retail partners near you that accept the Synchrony HOME Credit Card, which offers promotional financing on qualifying purchases* during the holiday.

Video games are another product that may have deep discounts, but it depends on where you buy them. Generally, buying digital directly through Steam, Xbox and Sony can get you some pretty good pricing. Nintendo may also have sales, but that's typically for their first-party games only.

To get a jump on things, you could add games to your wish list via your digital accounts with specific retailers. Then, if the games go on sale, you'll be alerted right away. If the sales are good, however, you may be tempted to buy multiple games you don't actually have time to play. So when making your list, decide on one or two priority games.

Consoles may also go on sale, but usually only on bundles that include a game. Video game accessories such as headsets, bags and controllers also typically see small discounts.

One of the best Black Friday deals are often on mobile phones and cellular plans. Generally, select phone models will go on sale. This is ideal if you want to upgrade your hardware at a reasonable price.

But don't expect a massive discount if you're holding out for a deal on an iPhone or Google Pixel. These two companies typically offer a gift card or store credit if you purchase a phone during Black Friday.

Even if you're happy with your current handset, it's worth looking at the available Black Friday phone plans. Telecommunication companies often offer great packages to entice people to sign up or switch. These offers don't last long, so you'll want to pounce if there's a deal you like.

Upgrading your home with smart devices may be worth considering on Black Friday, which often has big sales on smart home products. Some of the more common smart items on sale include speakers, lights, security systems, thermostats and doorbells.

Admittedly, not everyone needs a smart speaker or lights, but smart security systems and doorbells can help improve the overall protection of your home. And a smart thermostat can make a small quality of life improvement while potentially lowering your electricity bills.

Before you rush out and buy smart devices, compare the various products and consider how they'll integrate into your home. Also, think about how you're going to install anything you buy. If you're not tech-savvy, you may need to hire someone to install everything for you, which will cut into how much you save.

Like television retailers, many major appliance manufacturers look to clear inventory toward the end of the year and use Black Friday to push sales. This is great for consumers, as it could represent a few hundred dollars in savings.

Although the deals may be lucrative, be sure to research the models as soon as possible. Appliances may be similar but could function very differently. Additionally, some brands or models may have more performance issues than others, so you'll want to read user reviews.

The good news is that just about every major appliance brand, such as Samsung, LG and Bosch, will likely have discounts, so there may be many models to choose from. Some cities and states may even offer additional financial incentives if you purchase energy-efficient appliances. Be sure to check out the Synchrony HOME locator to find retail partners that offer electronics and appliances and shop their current deals.

With so many deals available during Black Friday, you might want to consider financing options so you don't miss out on the savings. This would allow you to make payments for your purchase over time.

The Synchrony HOME Credit Card offers 6 months promotional financing on purchases of $299-1998.99 and 12 months promotional financing on purchases of $1,999 or more, and select Synchrony HOME retail partners may offer longer-term promotional financing of up to 60 months on qualifying purchases*. Visit Synchrony HOME to find available offers.