Black Friday Deals: Walmart, Target and Best Buy's Prices Increased From Last Year

Get Ready To Pay More Than Last Year On Black Friday
FILE- In this Friday, Nov. 25, 2011, file photo, a crowd of shoppers wait outside the Target store in Lisbon, Conn., before the store opens for Black Friday shopping at midnight. Stores are making a big push to lure in bargain-hungry shoppers before the Friday after Thanksgiving, the traditional start of the holiday shopping season. They are putting on special sales that further creep into Turkey Day, and earlier. (AP Photo/The Day, Sean D. Elliot, File)
FILE- In this Friday, Nov. 25, 2011, file photo, a crowd of shoppers wait outside the Target store in Lisbon, Conn., before the store opens for Black Friday shopping at midnight. Stores are making a big push to lure in bargain-hungry shoppers before the Friday after Thanksgiving, the traditional start of the holiday shopping season. They are putting on special sales that further creep into Turkey Day, and earlier. (AP Photo/The Day, Sean D. Elliot, File)

Bad news Black Friday shoppers: You'll pay more this year.

Black Friday sale prices at Walmart, Target and Best Buy increased from 2011 to 2012, according to a study conducted by NerdWallet. Analyzing advertising circulars from the three retailers, NerdWallet discovered that the median item price at all three stores increased since last Thanksgiving. At Best Buy, for example, the average 2011 Black Friday item sold for $29.99 whereas in 2012 the average price rose to $35.00.

The uptick in sale prices is in line with the overall increase in consumer prices seen in the past year--up 2.2 percent.

Also, don’t be alarmed if you get a bit of deja vu looking through this year's ads. NerdWallet found that 90 percent of 2012 Black Friday ads from retailers like Staples and Ikea listed the same price in a 2011 Black Friday ad. For example, in 2011 a North Face fleece sold for $99.99 on Black Friday at Dick’s Sporting Goods, in 2012 the same fleece carries the identical price tag.

Retailers are anxious to get shoppers through the door and spending as soon as possible. Walmart and Target will begin their Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving night and Sears is starting sales as early as Nov. 18.

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