By Alex Jensen
It’s just about that time again, when the world gets to enjoy the shopping madness that two words have come to represent: Black Friday. Falling on November 25 this year, and followed by yet more price slashing on Cyber Monday, the reality is that Black Friday has become an entire month of sales.
While it might be overwhelming to see so many product offers online and in stores, you can find some great deals if you know what you want and stay focused. For instance, if you’re specifically looking for a new TV, the Black Friday ‘season’ can be a great time to upgrade to an OLED TV – or perhaps get a bigger one if you’re already an OLED devotee.
This year’s consumer trends are less predictable because there’s lingering economic gloom leaning on spending. That said, nearly 40% of American consumers are inclined to splurge for themselves or for others this holiday season, according to research release by management consulting firm McKinsey. And separate data suggests around one in five Black Friday shoppers will spend more this year because the shopping season coincides with the World Cup, which starts in November this year for the first time ever.
These factors add up to a possible boost for OLED TVs, as both Black Friday and the World Cup have been cited by Korean media as drivers of OLED TV sales growth during the fourth quarter. Out of just over 2.9 million OLED TVs set to be shopped in Q4, over 2.2 million of them are expected to head to Europe and North America, a 36% jump from the same period last year.
Of course, everyone likes a good Black Friday deal, but the popularity of OLED TVs can also be explained by the qualities that make them stand out. For instance, I noted last year that Black Friday even sounds like it should be a celebration of the perfect blacks that only OLED technology can deliver. Since then, LG Display’s OLED panels have been recognized by the globally renowned UL Solutions as the only TV or monitor display capable of achieving perfect black levels in any environment – which means watching a movie or a football match on an OLED TV can be that much more immersive because of the higher contrast ratio.
Perfect black is possible with an OLED TV because OLED technology is based on millions of self-emissive pixels that light up, or turn off, individually. For the same reason, OLED TVs are famed for their picture accuracy and vivid colors – as confirmed by British testing and certifications company Intertek, which gave OLED its ‘100% Color Fidelity’ certification.
Other OLED advantages include eye comfort factors because OLED TVs emit the lowest level of blue light in the industry, as well as being certified as flicker free and verified as discomfort glare free. So, in pretty much any living room or home movie theater setup, you’re going to feel comfortable watching an OLED TV. It also helps that, as of this year, OLED TVs come in such a wide range – from 42 to 97 inches. Again, that gives you flexibility because you can match the appropriate size of TV for your living space without having to compromise on quality. And you might not have to compromise on price either with Black Friday season in full swing!
