Marketers excel at creating urgency during the holiday shopping season. From countdown clocks showing how many “shopping days” are left to the “last chance” emails and ads, it’s no wonder consumers often feel pressured to buy immediately.
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But according to Grok, the AI built by xAI, many purchases are actually much cheaper after the holidays. While that won’t help if you need gifts by Dec. 25, you can get a head start on next year — and at better prices.
With that in mind, here are eight categories Grok says you should avoid buying until after the season ends.
Big-Screen TVs and Home Theater Gear
There’s almost always a sale on TVs and home theater equipment during the holidays. But according to Grok, that’s a time when you’re rarely getting the best prices. The primary reason is the January Consumer Electronics Show (CES). That’s when new TVs are announced, and it pushes stores to clear last year’s inventory.
Grok noted that after the CES, prices typically fall by 30% to 50% over the supposed “sales” in December. If you don’t need a TV immediately, waiting a few weeks can translate into major savings.
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Winter Clothing and Outerwear
Sales on winter clothing and outerwear can look pretty good in December — at least, until January rolls around. “Winter apparel follows one of the most predictable post-holiday crash cycles in retail,” Grok said. The AI says that after the holidays, whatever stock is left is typically blown out on clearance racks with savings routinely hitting 70% to 80% in the new year.
Fitness Equipment and Smartwatches
Many Americans make a New Year’s resolution to work out and gain control of their fitness. That’s why fitness equipment and smartwatches are hot items in December. Retailers know this, and they capitalize on this demand. But if you can hold off until January or February, you’re likely to score bigger discounts on treadmills, wearables and fitness machines.
High-End Appliances
You may spot some appliance sales in December, but Presidents’ Day is the holiday that truly drives down prices. Grok called it the unofficial start of appliance sale season, with incentives like free delivery, no-interest financing and rebates.
Laptops and Gaming PCs (If Not Urgent)
It’s not just TV prices that CES drives lower — laptops and gaming PCs also typically see big price drops in late January. During CES, manufacturers typically unveil new processors, GPUs and gaming systems, leading retailers to drop prices on last year’s merchandise by 20% to 35%, according to Grok.
Luxury Beauty and Fragrance Gift Sets
Retailers do an excellent job of pushing gift sets during the holiday season, enticing shoppers to buy slick-looking packages that seem to be a value when all put together. But Grok actually flags this exact packaging as driving prices higher, not lower. The AI said that after the holiday shopping season, when demand plummets, beauty and fragrance gift sets see massive price drops, often as large as 50% to 70%.
Toys and Board Games (After Christmas Day)
Big-box retailers typically overstock toys and board games to meet holiday demand, which leads to excess inventory after Christmas. Grok noted these items frequently get discounted 50% to 75% as stores reset shelves.
Mattresses and Bedding
Mattresses and bedding seem to be on the same sales cycle as appliances. Grok noted that the biggest discounts for these items tend to be during Presidents’ Day weekend, not the December holidays.
While Black Friday mattress sales may be eye-catching, they’re rarely the best the industry offers, according to Grok. After Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day and the Fourth of July also tend to offer better sales than in the Christmas holiday shopping season.
Grok’s Bottom Line
“December is when retailers want you to feel urgency,” Grok said. “January and February are when they actually feel urgency themselves.”
If you must buy something in December, take advantage of what’s available. But if you can wait four to six weeks, Grok says you’ll stretch your money much further.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: I Asked Grok What To Avoid Buying Until the Holidays End — Here’s What It Said
