It's the biggest time of the year for TV shoppers, and as a TV editor for all things TV, I'm always on the lookout for great deals. Black Friday sales are already in full swing, with shoppers scouring the web for discounts and sales.

But besides individual sale recommendations like we do on our Black Friday TV deals page and our picks for the best OLED TV deals for Black Friday, many people are looking for general advice they can use when looking at sales. How do you know you've made a good purchase? What makes one deal a winner and another a loser?

Once upon a time I worked at Radio Shack. Thanksgiving weekend was busy with midnight doorbusters and killer sales on everything from remote control toys to big screen TVs. More recently, I've been covering TVs for Tom's Guide, where I've been responsible for or edited over 100 TV reviews, ranging from budget models to premium OLED 4K Smart TVs, and even the latest 8K TVs.

Here are five tips for finding TV bargains on Black Friday 2021.

Early deals on Black Friday have been around for years, but 2021 is going to be different. I have heard several people use the term "Black Friday Month" to refer to the fact that major retailers began Black Friday sales in mid-October and holiday sales began in November.

I generally advise people to wait until Black Friday approaches for the most significant price cuts, but not this year. There is no need to wait to buy now, as you can often find deals that rival the highest prices of last year's sales.

More importantly, there are plenty of reasons not to wait, as supply chain problems have rippled throughout the industry, delaying product deliveries across the country. From chip shortages and iPhone delays to restocking of the PS5 and the search for restocking of OLEDs for the Nintendo Switch, many traditional trade materials may arrive later this year or early next year.

The best way to get ahead of the delay is to shop early. The good news is that retailers are already starting to offer Black Friday-level discounts weeks before Thanksgiving weekend.

Our Best Picks page lists the best TVs we've reviewed, with some pages dedicated to specific brands, screen sizes, features, and more. These TVs are great choices any time of year, but now is the time to score a great discount.

Even the top models on our best-of list are discounted, like the Samsung Neo QLED QN90A, LG C1 OLED, and TCL 5-Series Google TV. Not only are these some of the best TVs you can get, they are smart buys at full price, making every savings sweeter.

At most retailers, you will see the original price and the lower sale price together. Having been on thousands of Black Friday sale pages this year alone, I can safely say that most of these savings claims are accurate. However, it never hurts to check.

Sites like CamelCamelCamel and Keepa allow you to see how much the item has actually sold for in recent months and determine if you can really save more than the regular price.

One sneaky trick we see during Black Friday, if you know to look for it, is the use of retailer-specific models. These products look like the top models we reviewed, bear the same brand name, and boast many of the same features. However, if you start looking for manufacturer reviews and product pages, you will likely find a set that looks very similar but differs in one or two key details. What is happening here?

The simple version is that a major retailer approaches a manufacturer about building a unique version of their product as an exclusive offer. Such models are usually indicated by a small distinction in the model number. If most models use a 5, then it is a 3, a Walmart exclusive model is a W, and so on.

However, these exclusive models are built to be a little cheaper to begin with, allowing the store to run them as loss leaders without cutting into profits so deeply. This is done by making everything slightly less expensive, which usually means cutting corners. Lighter plastic construction, lower quality components, and even eliminating features that shoppers might not notice, which can range from a third or fourth HDMI port to downgrading display technology.

Different model numbers also allow retailers to avoid the promise of price matching. Walmart-exclusive models do not have the same model number at Best Buy, so there is no need to worry about price matching even if the two companies offer essentially the same product.

Under normal circumstances, refurbished products are a good way to save a bit more on popular TVs. While they are certainly lightly used, purchasing a refurbished model directly from the manufacturer is a relatively safe bet, as it has passed inspection and has been certified by the manufacturer to be in good working condition.

Major retailers offer similar warranties, but be very careful. Many online retailers now offer offers from independent sellers, making it impossible to determine who gave the OK for a refurbished unit.

Buying directly from the manufacturer or a well-known store often comes with additional coverage options, which helps balance the fact that you are getting a TV with wear and tear right out of the box. Getting two years of peace of mind with a used TV is well worth the price of a protection plan, especially with a set that may already be out of warranty.

For the other 11 months of the year, the general advice would be to know where you are buying and to always add protection to your purchase. But during the Black Friday season, that advice changes. There are a lot of real deals on new TVs, and you can save hundreds of dollars on even the best new TVs. At these prices for an unopened item, there's no reason to buy used.