Black Friday Sales: The Big Guide To Deals, Stores And Opening Times
by Jesse and Amanda with Pike in the morning,posted Nov 15 2012 7:30AM
Walmart
Hours: Doors open Thursday at 8 p.m., except where prohibited by law. Friday shoppers can get a second round of deals starting at 5 a.m.
The Thursday night deals will come in two waves. The first wave, starting at 8, will consist mainly of toys, games and home goods. One big deal is the Nintendo Wii console for just $89, a good $40 below MSRP. Just keep in mind that by that point, the Wii will be the last-generation system: The next-generation Wii U comes out on Nov. 18. You can also get a six-quart crock pot for just $9.44, or an air hockey table for $29.86.
10 p.m. is when the big electronics go on sale. The iPad 2 -- again, a last-generation product -- is at its usual price of $399, but Walmart will give you a $75 store gift card with your purchase. There is also an Emerson 32-inch TV for $148, as well as an LG Blu-ray player for $38. All three products come with a guarantee -- if any are sold out by 11 p.m., you can purchase a "guarantee card" that you can redeem for the product online.
Sears
Hours: Doors open Thursday at 8 p.m.
Sears' circular features some big appliance and electronics deals. On Thursday night there is a 32-inch TV for just $97, marked down from $250, as well as a Kenmore fridge for $1,299.99, a savings of $1,000. There is also a 55-inch Samsung LED TV for $879.99, marked down from $1,399.99.
Quantities are limited, of course, but if you aren't able to get there Thursday night, you can wake up early and grab one of the deals reserved for Friday's early risers. Deals that morning include TVs, washing machines, tools and apparel.
While Sears doesn't offer an in-stock guarantee like Walmart, it says that members of its Shop Your Ways rewards program will gain to access some of the doorbusters online starting Sunday, Nov. 18.
Members get the privilege of shopping doorbusters on Sunday from the comfort of home and picking up in store.
Best Buy
Hours: In a rare display of restraint by a retailer this season, Best Buy won't open its doors to Black Friday shoppers until midnight.
Best Buy has released what it's dubbed a "preview" of its Black Friday sales, but the 20-page ad is actually the full circular for that week. Deals include a WiFi-ready Toshiba Blu-ray player, which can be used to access Netflix and Hulu Plus, for just $39.99, a 50% markdown.
The circular also includes a number of online-only deals that will be available for purchase on BestBuy.com on Thanksgiving Day. You'll have to check back on Thanksgiving for the actual prices, but discounted item promised for that day include the Canon EOS Rebel T3 camera. A spokesperson says that the doorbusters in the ad will also be available online, but that supplies will be limited.
Target
Hours: Target will open at 9 p.m. Thursday, except where prohibited by law.
A leaked copy of Target's Black Friday circular had been kicking around the internet for a while, and the retailer finally got around to confirming it with an official announcement on Monday morning. One of the marquee deals in the circular is the Nook Simple Touch marked down from $99 to $49, the best deal we've seen on the e-reader. There is also a 50-inch Westinghouse 1080p TV for just $349, one of the lowest prices we've seen for a TV that size.
There will also be bonus doorbusters starting at 4 a.m. on Friday, including the Fisher-Price Doodlepro Classic for $9.99, marked down from $18.99.
Toys R Us
Hours: Doors open at 8 p.m. Thursday, where permitted by local laws.
Scans of the toy retailer's Black Friday circular appeared online earlier in the month, and while an official ad hasn't yet appeared on the official site, the company more or less confirmed its contents when it announced its Black Friday plans Monday morning. Shoppers who buy the fourth-generation iPod Touch for $199.99 will get a free $20 Toys R Us gift card, plus a $30 iTunes credit. When you buy a full-price Wii U game you can get a second for 40% off. And a second set of deals starts at 5 a.m. Friday on baby products, including high chairs and clothes.
If you'd rather shop from the couch, the doorbusters will also be available online starting at 8 p.m.
Kmart
Hours: Kmart will open at 8 p.m. on Thursday night, close at 3 a.m., then reopen at 5 a.m. As always, local laws might prohibit a Thanksgiving Day opening. Some Massachusetts residents, for instance, won't be able to get in the door until midnight.
Every retailer's Black Friday ad seems to have a super-cheap TV deal on the front page as a way of attracting customers. On price alone, Kmart wins this battle with an $88 Seiki TV on the front of its circular, but note that it's only 24 inches. A better bet might be the 50-inch Proscan LCD TV for just $288, which it says is marked down from $699.99. As you might expect, quantities are limited for both items, so if you're not in line on Thursday night, you're probably out of luck.
J.C. Penney
Hours: Doors will open at 6 a.m. Friday
J.C. Penney has already begun to backtrack a bit on its new no-sales policy, so it's not surprising that it's staying in the Black Friday game (especially in the wake of its dismal third-quarter sales figures). The retailer announced its "only sale of the year" Monday morning, promising additional savings with no coupons required. It also promises that you can shop online on Thanksgiving to get sale prices early.
For now the retailer hasn't released an official circular for Black Friday, though it has announced another kind of promotion. Over the course of the holiday season, sales associates will give out tens of millions of buttons to shoppers, with each button bearing a code that can be entered at JCP.com for a one in four chance at winning a gift. Prizes will include vacations, gift cards ranging from $5 to $500 and select merchandise. You can get your hands on the buttons in stores starting on Black Friday
