From Black Friday to Online Sales, How to Save Big on Gifts This Holiday Season

Thanksgiving has arrived, which means so is the traditional kick-off to the holiday shopping season -- Black Friday.

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The day after Turkey Day marks the time when many retailers' balance sheets go from in the red --where they've been much of the year -- to in the black, hence the name.

With the shopping blitz comes the promise of deep discounts on everything from electronics to sweaters and all the Christmas gifts in between. But should shoppers believe the hype?

Shopping expert Brittney Levine told Inside Edition the answer is no and counsels deal-seekers to hold off on shopping until weeks before Christmas day.

"A lot of big retailers are taking the manufacturers' suggested retail prices and inflating them so that when Black Friday rolls around, people think they're getting a major, deep discount," Levine said.

Before you start shopping, do your research, she said. Cheap electronics might be a low-quality device manufactured specifically for Black Friday.

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Levine said: "Is it really a great quality product that you're going to buy? Is it really going to last you?"

Other pro-tips include holding back on clothes purchases unless discounts reach 40 percent or more, shopping before Black Friday to take advantage of early mark-downs and browsing online prior to visiting a store to get a better idea of what prices should be on your desired items.

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