“Black Friday doorbuster” deals began Thursday at Best Buy where Apple deals are running through Sunday, the retailer emailed customers. Apple Watch Series 4, which Apple quietly discontinued (see 1909160042) is $50 off, starting at $299. Beats Studio3 wireless noise-canceling headphones, are $199, down from $349 in the sale, and iMacs were cut by $200. In a Thursday-only deal, My Best Buy customers could get the 32 GB latest-model iPad for $80 off ($249) and the 128 GB version for $100 off ($329). The same landing page with Apple sales had doorbusters from other manufacturers. Though deals and doorbusters were shown to end Sunday, “some offers extend beyond the sale period,” Best Buy said, though it wasn't clear which would run longer. Sub-$300 computer doorbusters included the 16 GB Samsung 11-inch Chromebook for $69 ($100 off); the Lenovo IdeaPad 14-inch laptop with AMD processor, also $100 off to $129; and a Dell 15-inch Inspiron with Intel Core i3 processor $170 off to $279. In true wireless headphones, JLab Audio’s Air True earbuds were $29, down from $49. An Arlo wireless camera system with a hub and four cameras was discounted by $250 to $399. Samsung’s 43-inch UN43NU6900BXZA TV was $229, $50 off; its 65-inch UN65NU6900FXZA has a $479 price, down $70; the TVs are the same price at Samsung.com.

Vizio is donating 10 percent of the purchase price of its special edition M-Series Quantum 50-inch 4K smart TV to (Red) to raise awareness for the fight against HIV/AIDS, it said Tuesday. Suggested retail price of the TV, available at Amazon and Vizio.com, is $479.

To spur sales in a holiday season without a gaming cycle refresh, Xbox announced Tuesday the Xbox All Access program for shoppers looking for financing flexibility. For $19.99 a month, consumers can start playing “out of the box” with payments spread out over 24 months, Xbox emailed. The package includes an Xbox One console, one wireless controller and a two-year membership to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which includes benefits of Xbox Live Gold, online multiplayer gaming and access to more than 100 games. Shoppers who buy an Xbox One X console through the program before Dec. 31 will be able to upgrade to the next-gen Xbox console, Project Scarlett, when it’s available next year, after making 12 payments.

Vizio announced one-day holiday deals for Nov. 9 at Sam’s Club stores, in a Tuesday email. Leading the sales event is a 50-inch V-Series TV for $239, followed by a 65-inch P-Series Quantum X ($979), a 70-inch V-Series ($549), 55-inch M-Series Quantum ($399) and two 36-inch sound bars: a 5.1-channel wireless system for $149 and a 2.1-inch system for $94. A spokesperson wouldn't discuss strategy behind the one-day event at Sam's Club but noted upcoming deals days at retailers including Target and Walmart are "2-3 days or longer." Vizio didn't respond to questions on where it's producing TVs for the U.S. market.

The holiday season's hitting early at Walmart, which will start selling discounted Vizio M-Series 4K TVs Friday, while supplies last, under its Early Deals Drop campaign. The 55-inch 4K M6 is marked down $50 to $398, and the 65-inch version is $100 off to $498; the 75-inch V5 is a Walmart exclusive at $848, said Vizio Thursday. The M series touts Quantum Color representing 75 percent of the Rec.2020 color space; Dolby Vision, HDR10 and Hybrid Log Gamma support; Chromecast built-in; DTS StudioSound II and compatibility with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The V-Series has support for Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit, Chromecast built-in; Alexa and Assistant compatibility, DTS StudioSound II; and support for the three primary HDR formats. Walmart’s shopping tools this holiday season include Check Out With Me, now expanded to all Walmart Supercenters, allowing customers to check out with an associate in select departments, including electronics, to avoid register lines. Its Dotcom Store is now in all Supercenters, allowing customers to place an online order with an associate for out-of-stock items that will then be sent to the customer’s home or to a store for pickup, it said. The retailer's chasing Amazon's latest Prime member shipping policy with Free NextDay Delivery, and challenging it with no membership fee. Customers can order “hundreds of thousands” of eligible items for delivery the following day, it said, though the speedy delivery may not be available during peak periods.

Verizon Wireless Unlimited customers and subscribers who switch to Fios Home Internet or 5G Home Internet will get 12 months free of Disney Plus when the streaming service launches Nov. 12, said the companies Tuesday. At launch, eligible Verizon customers can activate their Disney Plus subscription and start streaming on mobile and connected TV devices, including gaming consoles, streaming media players and smart TVs, they said. After 12 months, Verizon customers will be charged the standard $6.99 Disney Plus monthly.

About 99 percent of Best Buy customers are getting free next-day delivery on “thousands” of items through Christmas, said the retailer Tuesday. Excluded are “bigger and heavier” products such as 51-inch-and-larger TVs and refrigerators, it said. Customers who live where free next-day delivery isn’t available, or who order a product that doesn’t qualify, will still get free standard shipping on everything, Best Buy said, noting no membership is required. There’s no minimum purchase requirement for free standard shipping, but a $35 minimum purchase is necessary for free next-day delivery, said the website. Next-day delivery limitations may apply for Thanksgiving week, other promotional periods and for weekend orders, said Best Buy; free next-day delivery isn’t available Sundays. Same-day delivery is available in 42 U.S. metro cities for orders completed on BestBuy.com before 3 p.m. local time (2 p.m. local time on Sundays), noted the retailer; fees weren’t given in a FAQ section.

Best Buy trumpeted $229 4K TVs in a customer email blast Friday. When customers clicked on the “Shop now” tab, they were directed to a page that didn’t disclose the brand or model of the $229 set. Instead, there was another “Shop Now” tab. Observant shoppers noticed a banner on the left side of the page for “Black Friday prices guaranteed now on select premium TVs and home theater products” through Oct. 20. If the price of qualified products goes lower before Black Friday, “we will send you a refund for the difference,” the copy reads. The 16 products appeared to be mostly from brands or higher end models that aren’t highly discounted: four Sony TVs (three OLED), four QLED Samsung TVs, an LG NanoCell TV, speakers and subwoofers from Definitive Technology and MartinLogan, a Denon receiver, Sanus wall mount and Panamax power products. Best Buy’s $2,499 Black Friday price on the Sony XBR75X950G 75-inch LED TV was a dollar more than the price at Crutchfield and matched those at P.C. Richard and Rakuten, we found. The 82-inch Samsung QN82Q80RAFXZA QLED TV was shown at $3,499 Friday at bestbuy.com and Samsung.com, $3,497 at B&H Photo and $3,074 at Office Max. Rakuten beat the Best Buy price on the LG 75-inch 75SM9070PUA LED TV by $200 Friday, Crutchfield came in under by three bucks. Meanwhile, the $229 4K TV, once shoppers got past the Black Friday advertisement, was revealed to be a Vizio 40-inch V405-G9 smart model at $70 off suggested retail.

The FTC should “proceed cautiously” as it ponders changes to its Made in USA enforcement policy and weighs developing a new rule, commented CTA in docket FTC-2019-0063. The commission sought industry feedback on how consumers “interpret” Made in USA ad and marketing claims and on the pros and cons of enforcing a possible “bright-line” standard that would greenlight a Made in USA claim only if a prescribed percentage of a product’s costs is domestically based. This enforcement policy is 22 years old, said CTA Friday. If the FTC acts on reassessment, “it must begin with updated consumer perception evidence,” said the association. “A new study, measuring consumers’ current attitudes and understandings of Made in USA claims, provides a better way to develop potential alternative standards than does considering input on alternatives in the absence of suitable empirical evidence.” Developing a new rule without the evidence “puts the cart well before the horse,” said CTA.

Ricoh is marking the 100th anniversary of Pentax with the launch of a new online photo gallery and a centennial photo contest that begins Oct. 1 and runs through Dec. 29, said the vendor Monday. Winners will be chosen weekly and will qualify for two grand prizes of commemorative Pentax equipment at the end of the contest, it said. All who enter the weekly contests will get a free 100th anniversary T-shirt, it said.