Black Friday 2011 Deals Include 1-Cent Smartphones From AT&T
A penny is all shoppers will need to purchase select smartphones from AT&T from Black Friday through Cyber Monday.
The 1-cent deals are available online throughout the weekend, but come with a few restrictions.
Select Windows 7 phones will be available for 1 cent on Nov. 26. New customers, however, must sign a two-year contract and register for minimum voice and data plans.
The deals – which include penny phones like Motorola Atrix, Samsung Infuse, BlackBerry 9810 and LG Thrill – will be staggered throughout the weekend.
All Windows 7 and select Android devices will be on sale Saturday. Select BlackBerry devices and the HTC Red Inspire will be 1 cent on Sunday. The Motorola Atrix, HTC Inspire and Samsung Infuse will all be a penny on Monday.
First-time smartphone shoppers should do research before jumping into the penny deals, according to Cynthia Groves, head of global retail consulting at Newmark Knight Frank.
Black Friday can be overwhelming with stores offering a multitude of deals, Groves told The Washington Post. Shoppers looking for smartphones should prepare like all other shoppers.
"There have to be clear expectations on the part of the shopper before starting out," Groves said. "Am I buying for myself or my family? Do I want the cheapest item I can find, or am I looking for an element of luxury?"
Other retailers are discounting smartphones as well.
Sam's Club is offering select Samsung phones for less than $1 with a two-year contract. Radio Shack is offering free smartphones with a two-year contract.
Other phone companies also have jumped aboard and are offering free or nearly free devices.
Sprint is offering a free Google Nexus S 4G with the purchase of a two-year contract. Verizon is slated to give away accessories, such as Bluetooth devices, to customers who purchase smartphones on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
