// WIRED US/UK — INTELLIGENZA ARTIFICIALE
Even Black Friday Will Be More Expensive Than Usual
Black Friday, the deal-drenched marketing blitz that kicks off the holiday shopping spree, might feel more muted this year.
That’s because just about everything is getting more expensive. As the global economy reckons with challenges from the AI industry’s memory crisis and the ongoing war in Iran, prices for many products have risen, especially consumer electronics like smartphones and gaming consoles.
While many sales have already begun, the prices on offer may feel less like a deal than in years past. Weaker deals will likely revolve around products that use a lot of memory (RAM). Gadgets like robot vacuums, headphones, and other products that don’t rely as much on memory may see better prices.
“Things are getting more expensive, and they'll probably continue to get more expensive well into 2027, maybe even 2028,” says Jitesh Ubrani, director of Consumer Devices Research at IDC. “When it comes to PCs, tablets, those kinds of devices, that's where everyone's going to struggle.”
Case in point: Amazon, the absolute behemoth of Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, has hiked the prices of its latest Kindles, tablets, and Echo speakers, meaning its next sale on those devices likely won’t impress compared to years past.
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Black Friday and Cyber Monday remain the best shopping days of the year, says Edgar Dworsky, a consumer advocate who has long used his website Consumer World to call out companies that stealthily raise product prices.
“However, just because an item is advertised with significant savings claimed, doesn't mean it is a good deal or the best price,” Dworsky wrote in a message to WIRED.