Big-screen TVs big seller for Black Friday

Big screen TVs were this year’s top seller for Black Friday, even with discounted prices on laptops and tablets. Electronic devices have been much sought after by parents for children who have had to take part in virtual classes since the beginning of the pandemic.

Newsday saw numerous customers with 40 to 60-inch screen TVs in their trolleys during a visit to wholesaler Pricesmart’s Port of Spain and Chaguanas locations.
The manager at Courts, South Quay, Port of Spain, Rhonda Job, said TVs are the company’s top-selling product.

“That’s all everybody wants for this year,” she said, adding it is usually their best seller during the Black Friday sale week. The furniture and appliance giant has been offering discounts since Monday.
At the time of Newsday’s visit on Friday, the store had a several browsing customers. Job said sales on other devices such as laptops and tablets had been “fine,” although the discounts were not as well received as the TVs.

She said the store had a “great deal” on the Amazon Fire HD8 tablet, which is now going for $699, reduced by $100. The store also offered discounts on Lenovo laptops, on sale at a discounted $3,299, $300 less than the usual price.
Only one customer was seen having a quick look at the discounted tablets. She requested anonymity. She said she thought the prices on the Amazon Fire tablets were “reasonable” for her children.

She said she was unaware when she arrived that there was a sale.
“I just came to pay a bill,” she said, “but I need devices for the children at home.”
Television sets at Courts started at $999 for a 34-inch Mastertech and reached as much as $4,999 for an LG 60-inch 4K smart TV. The advertised savings on the LG TV was $1,500.

The Mastertech 43-inch LED TV was being sold for $1,799 at a saving of $500.
Other stores such as Excellent Stores also drew large crowds for Black Friday. The downtown Port of Spain branch had a “steady stream of customers,” according to supervisor Gervais Nathaniel, who spoke briefly with Newsday on Friday.

The branch will close its doors at the end of this year, after 32 years there.
When asked if the covid19 pandemic kept customers away, Nathaniel said from his observations, it had not. He said staff had been busy tending to customers since the store opened on Friday morning.

A line of customers were observed outside the store. Nathaniel said the security guards were instructed to allow 35 people in the store at a time to avoid overcrowding as much as possible, in keeping with health regulations.
The two-day Black Friday sale at Excellent Stores ends on Sunday.