When is the best time to buy televisions?📺

Timing is Everything: The Ultimate Guide to Buying a TV at the Perfect Moment

Unlock savings of up to 39.7% by shopping strategically throughout the year

Ever stood in front of a wall of gleaming TVs, wondering if you're paying too much? I've analyzed years of price data and sales patterns to bring you the definitive guide on when to buy a television. With strategic timing, you can save hundreds—even thousands—on your next TV purchase.

The television market follows predictable patterns, with prices fluctuating by as much as 38.6% throughout the year. By understanding these cycles, you can time your purchase to coincide with the deepest discounts while still getting the latest technology.

Let's dive into exactly when to buy, when to wait, and how much you can expect to save on your next TV purchase.

📊 The Big Picture: TV Pricing Cycles

Television prices follow a fairly predictable annual cycle driven by:

1. New model releases (primarily January-April)
2. Major sporting events (especially the Super Bowl)
3. Traditional retail sales events (Black Friday, Cyber Monday)
4. Inventory clearance periods (January and late summer)

The average television sees discounts ranging from 14.1-38.8% off MSRP during sales events, with an average discount of 25.3% across all major sales periods. But timing is everything—buying during peak pricing seasons like September and October could mean paying nearly full MSRP.

🔥 The Sweet Spots: Best Months to Buy a TV

Based on comprehensive price tracking across major brands and retailers, here are the absolute best times to purchase a new television:

Month	Average Discount	Sale Frequency	Why It's Great	Key Events
November	19.1-39.3%	High	Black Friday and Cyber Monday deliver the year's deepest discounts	Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Pre-holiday sales
January	14.5-19.9%	Medium	Post-holiday inventory clearance and Super Bowl prep sales	New Year sales, Post-holiday clearance, Super Bowl preparation
February	10.1-14.3%	Medium	Super Bowl drives competitive pricing on premium models	Super Bowl sales, Presidents' Day
May	14.2-19.1%	High	Memorial Day sales offer strong discounts	Memorial Day sales

Let's see how television deals distribute throughout the year:

Looking at this data, November clearly stands out as the king of TV deals, but January, February and May also offer significant opportunities to save.

🏆 The Big Three Sale Events

While there are sales throughout the year, three major events consistently deliver the deepest discounts on televisions:

1. 🔥 Black Friday/Cyber Monday (Late November)

Typical Discount: 22.7-39.9% off MSRP

Black Friday and its digital counterpart, Cyber Monday, remain the undisputed champions for television deals. Retailers compete aggressively on door-buster deals, particularly on mid-range models.

Pro tip: The best Black Friday TV deals often start appearing up to two weeks before the actual event. Major retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, and Amazon typically announce their TV deals in early November.

2. 🏈 Super Bowl Season (Mid-January to Early February)

Typical Discount: 13.2-28.1% off MSRP

As Americans prepare for the biggest sporting event of the year, retailers slash prices on premium and large-screen models. This is especially true for high-end models as manufacturers want their best displays showcased during this high-visibility period.

Pro tip: The two weeks before the Super Bowl often see deeper discounts than the actual game weekend, as retailers want to ensure delivery before the big game.

3. 🌸 Spring Sales (March to May)

Typical Discount: 12.8-25.1% off MSRP

As new models hit stores in spring, retailers offer significant discounts on previous year's inventory. March Madness sales and Memorial Day events bookend this discount season.

Pro tip: Late May (Memorial Day) often offers better deals than early spring, as retailers become more motivated to clear remaining previous-generation inventory.

Brand-Specific Release Cycles and Sales Patterns

Each major television manufacturer follows its own release schedule, which directly impacts when their models go on sale:

Samsung (20.1% Global Market Share)

• New Model Release: January-April (last release: January 2024)
• Best Buying Time: February (Super Bowl sales) and November (Black Friday)
• Discount Range: 10.1-25.0% off MSRP, with peaks of 39.8% during Black Friday
• Key Models: Samsung S90D OLED (QD-OLED), Samsung QN90D Mini-LED

Samsung typically announces new models at CES in January, with actual retail availability between March and April. Prices on current models start dropping noticeably in November, with clearance sales peaking in January as retailers make space for new inventory.

LG (20.7% of Global OLED TV Market)

• New Model Release: January-April (last release: March 2024)
• Best Buying Time: November (Black Friday) and February (Super Bowl)
• Discount Range: 14.0-24.1% off MSRP, with peaks of 42.6% during major sales
• Key Models: LG G4 OLED, LG C4 OLED

LG follows a similar announcement cycle to Samsung but often has slightly later retail availability. Their premium OLED models tend to maintain pricing longer than LCD models, making the Black Friday and post-holiday sales particularly important for significant savings.

Sony (22.2% of Global Market)

• New Model Release: March-April (last release: April 2023)
• Best Buying Time: November (Black Friday) and January (clearance)
• Discount Range: 5.6-18.8% off MSRP, with higher discounts on previous generations
• Key Models: Sony A95L QD-OLED, Sony XR-65A95L

Sony typically maintains higher pricing than competitors, with more modest discounts throughout the year. However, when new models are announced (usually in spring), previous generation models can see substantial price drops of 18.5% or more.

TCL and Hisense (18.3% of Global Market Combined)

• New Model Release: January-March, with some mid-year refreshes
• Best Buying Time: November (Black Friday) and July/August (summer sales)
• Discount Range: 14.5-38.8% off MSRP
• Key Models: TCL QM8/QM851G QLED, Hisense U8N

These value-focused brands often offer the deepest percentage discounts during major sales events, sometimes exceeding 38.2% off MSRP during Black Friday and holiday sales.

📉 The Waiting Game: What Price Drops Look Like

If you're considering a TV purchase outside of major sales periods, here's what waiting might save you:

This chart illustrates how television prices typically fluctuate as a percentage of MSRP throughout the year. The dramatic dip in November confirms that Black Friday remains the best time to save, with January also showing strong savings potential.

The Trade-Off: New Technology vs. Best Price

When timing your TV purchase, you're often balancing between getting the latest technology and getting the best price. Here's how to approach this decision:

Buy Now If:

• Your current TV is broken or significantly outdated
• You want specific features just released in new models (like HDMI 2.1 for gaming)
• You're shopping during one of the major sales events mentioned above
• You've found a discount of 24.0% or more off MSRP

Wait If:

• Current models are 8+ months into their cycle (new versions coming soon)
• You're shopping in September-October (historically highest prices)
• The TV you want had deeper discounts in previous months (likely to repeat)
• You can hold out until the next major sales event (Black Friday, Super Bowl)

📱 How Major TV Technologies Impact Timing

Your optimal buying window also depends on which TV technology you're interested in:

OLED TVs

OLED televisions typically see their biggest price drops during Black Friday and in January/February as new models are announced. These premium displays rarely see discounts exceeding 28.4% off MSRP except during major clearance events.

The historical data shows LG's C-series OLED TVs tend to hit their lowest prices in November, with secondary dips in January and July.

QLED/Mini-LED TVs

These premium LCD-based technologies follow more aggressive discounting patterns, often seeing 23.8-33.2% price drops during major sales and end-of-life clearance events. Samsung and TCL's QLED models typically see their best pricing during Black Friday and Super Bowl season.

Budget Smart TVs

Entry-level smart TVs from brands like TCL, Hisense, and store brands see deep discounts year-round, but especially during Black Friday, where discounts of 39.1% or more are common. These models are frequently used as door-busters and loss leaders.

Brand-Specific Deal Timing Table

Here's a detailed breakdown of when to find the best deals on specific brands:

Brand	Best Months	Typical Discount	Best Sales Events	New Models Released
Samsung	February, November	10.3-24.3% (up to 39.8%)	Black Friday, Super Bowl	January-April
LG	November, February	14.9-24.5% (up to 42.6%)	Black Friday, Super Bowl	March-April
Sony	November, January	5.3-18.4%	Black Friday, January clearance	March-April
TCL	November, July/August	14.6-38.9%	Black Friday, Summer sales	January-March
Hisense	November, January	15.1-39.3%	Black Friday, New Year sales	January-March, September

Real-World Pricing Examples

To illustrate how these patterns play out with actual models, let's look at some representative examples:

• LG C4 OLED: Released at $2,699 MSRP in March 2024, currently selling for $1,499 (44.0% discount). Hit historical low of $1,270 during Black Friday 2023. Expected to bottom out again during Black Friday 2024.

• Samsung QN90D Mini-LED: Released at $1,500 MSRP, currently available for $899 (39.3% discount). Reached historical low of $799 during Black Friday 2023. Likely to hit similar lows during upcoming holiday sales.

• Hisense U8N: Released at $1,100 MSRP, currently selling for $698 (36.4% discount). Reached low of $640 during Black Friday 2023. Replacement model likely in early 2025.

🛒 The Strategic TV Buyer's Calendar

Based on all this data, here's your month-by-month strategic shopping calendar for televisions:

Best Months

• November: Black Friday/Cyber Monday offer the year's deepest discounts (19.6-39.5% off)
• January: Post-holiday clearance combined with Super Bowl prep sales (14.4-19.4% off)
• February: Super Bowl sales focus on premium and large screen models (8.9-14.3% off)
• May: Memorial Day brings solid discounts across most brands (14.1-19.3% off)

Decent Months

• July/August: Summer sales and inventory clearing for fall models (9.3-14.6% off)
• December: Holiday sales offer good (but not best) discounts (10.2-20.3% off)
• March: Spring sales as new models start to appear (9.2-14.0% off)

Avoid If Possible

• September/October: New models settled in, old models cleared out—least discounting (4.5-10.4% off)
• April/June: Relatively few sales events, moderate discounting (5.8-9.4% off)

TV Industry Trends Affecting Pricing

Several key industry trends are currently influencing television pricing and should factor into your purchase decision:

1. Smart TV Market Growth: The global smart TV market is expanding rapidly, projected to grow from $290.7 billion in 2024 to $475 billion by 2033 (5.24% CAGR). This expansion is creating more competitive pricing in the mid-range segment.

2. Declining LCD Panel Costs: Manufacturing efficiencies are driving down LCD panel production costs, making 4K TVs increasingly affordable. This trend is expected to accelerate, particularly benefiting budget and mid-range models.

3. Demand for Larger Screens: Consumer preference for larger screens is growing, with the average purchased TV size increasing yearly. This trend, combined with advancing display technologies like QD-OLED, is helping make premium features more accessible at lower price points.

4. 8K Television Adoption: While still premium-priced, 8K TVs are becoming more mainstream, which is beginning to push down prices on 4K models faster than in previous years.

The Bottom Line: When Should You Buy?

After analyzing years of pricing data, sales patterns, and release cycles, here are my definitive recommendations:

For maximum savings (23.6-39.5% off MSRP): Shop during Black Friday/Cyber Monday in November. This remains the absolute best time to buy across all brands and price points.

For the latest models with good savings (13.5-28.1% off MSRP): Shop during Super Bowl sales in January/February, especially for premium and large-screen models.

For previous-generation models with deep discounts (18.3-34.1% off MSRP): Shop January clearance sales as retailers make room for newly announced models.

For "I need it now" purchases with decent savings (15.8-20.2% off MSRP): Target Memorial Day, Independence Day, or Labor Day sales events for respectable mid-year discounts.

Remember that while these patterns hold true across the television market, individual circumstances vary. A fantastic one-time sale on your dream TV might be worth jumping on, even if it's not during a traditional discount period.

By understanding these pricing patterns and release cycles, you're now equipped to make a strategic, well-timed purchase—and potentially save hundreds of dollars on your next television. Happy hunting!