Black Friday

By: Amanda Razani

Posted: 11/20/09

The day after Thanksgiving marks the official start of the holiday shopping season, Black Friday, and many stores have already posted the deals they will be offering that day.

Target, Wal-Mart, Best Buy and JC Penny are some of the stores in San Angelo offering merchandise discounts before and on Black Friday.

"I will be in San Angelo, and I will probably be shopping at Wal-Mart and Target for kids stuff when they first open," junior Lashelle Walker said.

For competitive reasons, most merchants typically keep a tight lid on their promotions for Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, until a week before, according to CNNmoney.com.

However, there are a couple of web sites that specialize in finding out deals in advance. One such site is Gottadeal.com, which claims they received a copy of Target's discounts.

If it is accurate, Target will be offering several appliances for $3 during its "door buster sale," which is a sale many retailers will offer to the first few shoppers who arrive that Friday.

Gottadeal.com claims that Target will also be offering a Polaroid camcorder for $39 dollars, along with many other electronics at slashed prices. Select toys will be marked at 50 percent off their regular prices, and some children's clothing will be priced at $5-7 dollars.

Target is expected to release its official ad circular on Nov. 22, and will be opening at 5 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving.

Black-Friday.net has already posted Best Buy's discounts, and the door buster items will include several popular movies for $9.99 and hit video games for $19.99, as well as a Garmin GPS for $99.99. Many other discounts will be offered on other items for the remainder of the day.

Employees will be passing out door buster tickets starting at 3 a.m.

Shoppers can arrive at the store before 5 a.m. and receive tickets for door buster deals that will guarantee them that item and keep them from having to dash in the store and race for the merchandise.

This is a problem Wal-Mart faced last year; people rushing in the store for merchandise on Black Friday, which led to the unfortunate death of an employee and injuries to four other people, according to nydailynews.com.

This year, almost all Wal-Mart stores will remain open from Thanksgiving through the day after. Its door buster sales will begin at 5 a.m., and there will be plans in place to keep crowds in control.

The Sunset Mall will open at 7 a.m. to give the first 200 customers gift bags with coupons and samples. However, some of its major retailers will open sooner, such as JCPenney, which will open at 4 a.m.

Although many deals will be offered on Black Friday, some people are not interested in shopping that day because they do not want to mess with crowds, rush around trying to get products and wait in long lines.

Also, some people do not want any of the discounted products that are offered.

"I do not go to the after Thanksgiving sales because the prices are not that great, and it is too crowded," junior Tia Stone said.

Those wanting to save the most money the day after Thanksgiving, and deal with the smallest lines at the checkout counters should plan to get up very early and attend the door buster sales on Black Friday. However, the entire day will be full of savings for those wanting to shop.

To find out the stores that will be offering Black Friday discounts and learn if they will be opening early, visit bfads.net.

Target

5 a.m.

Door Buster Sales

$3 appliances

$39 Polaroid camera

$5-7 children's clothes

50 percent off of toys

Best Buy

5 a.m.

$9.99 movies

$19.99 video games

$99.99 Garmin GPS

"Door Buster Tickets" that

guarantee a certain item for

those who arrive before 5 a.m.

Sunset Mall

7 a.m.

First 200 customers receive gift

bags with coupons and samples.