Deals plentiful in shopping frenzy

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It may not be the most romantic Christmas present, but for those seeking appliances this holiday season, deals are likely to be plentiful.

Both Sears and Home Depot are already offering discounts on appliances ahead of "Black Friday," the day after Thanksgiving. Many more deals will be found during the holiday weekend at Wal-Mart, Lowe's, Target, Hhgregg and other retailers.

Craig Johnson, president of retail consultancy Customer Growth Partners, said there will be many deals this year due to oversupply because consumers have been holding back since the home buyer tax credits ended in April.

"The appliance sector has been basically dead for four or five months. Meanwhile, manufacturers ramped up production," Johnson said. "So there's a lot of inventory out there."

Some examples of deals Home Depot is running through Nov. 29: An LG front-loading washer and dryer set, regularly $1,998 for the pair is marked down $800 to $599 each.

Sears is open from 7 a.m. to noon on Thanksgiving morning. One deal is a Whirlpool front-load energy efficient washer and dryer, regularly $549 each, on sale for $799.98 for the pair. AP