Don't Buy These 5 Things on Black Friday if You Want the Best Deal

Nov. 23, 2012 — -- intro:

The frenzy of Black Friday may hypnotize some people, but shopping experts encourage the penny-wise to exercise self-control because not all deals are created equally.

Read more: 5 Apps to Maximize Deals, Stay Organized During Black Friday

Tamra Feldman, marketing vice president at Shop It To Me, said that, historically, the best average online discounts, 46 percent, appear from August to September and January to February.

"It's a huge time of year for people shopping in stores and online with a variety of merchandise available. But it's not the best time of year to buy for the steepest discounts," she said.

Read more: Best Black Friday 2012 Deals

Emily Dovi from deals site Dealnews has compiled a list of the following items that may have bigger discounts other times of the year:

quicklist:title: Toys text: "Black Friday is not the best time to buy toys for the holidays," Dovi said. "Many will likely still be discounted for Black Friday -- and it may feel pretty good to get your shopping done early, but you won't love that sinking feeling you'll get when you see those toys discounted for less about two weeks before Christmas."

quicklist:title: Game Consoles Without a Bundled Itemtext:

"Speaking of toys, if you're looking to buy any of the major video game consoles this holiday, you're likely to get more bang for your buck by opting for one that comes with a few extras," Dovi wrote. "While we've already seen a few choice Xbox deals in the leaked Black Friday ads, in years past, the vast majority of [Dealnews'] Editors' Choice console deals went to holiday bundles that included premium accessories and two or three game titles. These were frequently discounted 30 to 40 percent off their retail prices."

quicklist:title: Brand Name HDTVstext: "Black Friday is an excellent time to invest in a new HDTV, as we predict a variety of size categories will hit their lowest price points," Dovi said. "But don't expect the best deals to be tagged with name brands. Typically, the rock-bottom prices will mostly apply to third-tier manufacturers."

quicklist:title: The Latest Digital Camerastext: Dovi cautioned that the premium current-generation models "are just a few months away from being replaced by a new line of 2013 options."

quicklist:title: Christmas Decorationstext: Christmas decor is an "impulse buy," and for good reason. Decorations are all over storefronts and streets this time of the year. But Dovi said decoration deals improve closer to the actual holiday and, of course, after it takes place.