The holidays are still months away, but if you want the best deals on a new laptop or smartphone, you should probably start shopping now. According to a new CNET survey, nearly half of shoppers aren't waiting until Black Friday and Cyber Monday to shop. Instead, they're shopping for tech for the holidays months early to beat potential rising prices and shortages.
But is shopping early the best strategy? I spoke with CNET's resident tech and shopping experts to find out.
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Here's what they say you need to know about navigating early sales, finding the best deals and avoiding common pitfalls, like product shortages and hidden price hikes.
Key takeaways Many US adults (59%) are interested in purchasing tech devices this holiday season. Smartphones (26%) and laptops (23%) are at the top of shoppers' lists.
The average US shopper plans to spend $931.18 on tech devices this holiday season, and millennials plan to spend $139 more.
Over half (59%) plan to shop Black Friday sales to save money on holiday tech purchases, followed by comparison shopping (37%).
Half of shoppers plan to shop for tech early (August to October), but a quarter plan to shop in November.
Nearly 9 in 10 (87%) have shopping concerns about purchasing consumer tech this holiday season, including rising prices and tariffs.
Shoppers plan to spend an average of $931 on tech this holiday season
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