The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper The Spokesman-Review
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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SHOPPING LIFE

Talk about hot deals for shoppers hoping for a steal this Christmas.

Property Room.com wants holiday shoppers to turn to the online marketplace where consumers can bid on stolen property.

The items, which range from dolls to DVD players, were recovered by 1,300 law enforcement agencies in 47 states. But after searching and a state-by-state mandated waiting period, authorities weren’t able to reunite owners with the missing goods.

So the loot goes up for bidding – at deep discounts – and becomes available to any shopper who can stomach putting the ultimate re-gifted item under the tree.

There’s art, diamonds, clothing, toys, bikes and even a 2005 Crown Victoria police car going for $2,750 after 51 bids.

Despite what you see in stores right now, the Friday after Thanksgiving begins the traditional Christmas shopping season, with extended hours, crowded stores and deeply discounted prices.

If you’re in the market for digital gear, you’re in luck. Here is a sample of what to expect:

•Forget about DVD players: This year, Blu-ray Disc players will sell for about $150. Off-brand players may even dip to $100.

•Digital cameras and frames: Digital cameras are always hot sellers. You can pick up a 6-megapixel SLR kit for $450 or less. Prices will increase with the pixel count and lens quality.

•Televisions: Prices on large-screen HDTVs could also hit a low. Expect 42-inch sets in the $600 range. Smaller sets will be considerably cheaper.

•Laptops: Retailers will tempt you with rock-bottom prices this year. You’ll see low-power ultra-portable notebooks around $200 and fairly powerful laptops for $400.

•MP3 players: You’ll see unbelievable prices on MP3 players. For example, you can pick up a 1GB player for about $10 and a 2GB color-screen player for less than $50.

•What’s not on sale: Nintendo’s Wii and Apple’s iPhone won’t be discounted. In fact, don’t expect steep discounts on any Apple product. •More information: Sites such as BFAds.net, BlackFriday.info and BlackFridayAds.com post copies of retailer sales fliers and internal memos.

From wire reports