Black Friday begins early for bargain shoppers
Fri. November 27, 2009 12:00 AM by Chicago Breaking News
Chicago, IL -
Today is Black Friday. Shoppers were expected to line up very early outside some stores as the nation's retailers usher in the traditional start of the holiday shopping season with expanded hours and deep discounts on everything from toys to TVs.
A number of stores, including Walmart and many Old Navy locations, opened on Thanksgiving, hoping to make the most of the extra hours. Toys R Us opened most of its stores at midnight Friday.
Black Friday is the traditional start of the Christmas selling season, the name deriving from the fact that it has been the time when huge crowds push stores into "the black," or profitability. But the weekend doesn't provide a forecast for the rest of the season, which accounts for as much as 40 percent of annual sales and profits for many stores.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, has Black Friday lures like deeply discounted TVs like 42-inch plasma Emerson HDTVs for $448, and other electronics like $78 Magnavox Blu-ray disc players, for the early morning specials that start at 5 a.m.
Toys R Us, which threw open its doors just after midnight Friday, five hours earlier than a year ago, is hawking 250 early morning specials that offer discounts of up to 65 percent on such items as VTech Learning Laptops and Little Tikes Jump 'n Slide Bouncer.
Midprice department store operator Kohl's Corp., which is set to open at 4 a.m., is offering deep discounts on cashmere sweaters, dresses and select kitchen appliances.
The nation's largest electronics chain, Best Buy Co., will open its doors at 5 a.m. will have such deals as $999.99 Samsung 46-inch flat-panel TVs, a savings of $700; and Sony laptops for $479.97, a savings of $180.
Get the full story: Black Friday begins early for bargain shoppers.
A number of stores, including Walmart and many Old Navy locations, opened on Thanksgiving, hoping to make the most of the extra hours. Toys R Us opened most of its stores at midnight Friday.
Black Friday is the traditional start of the Christmas selling season, the name deriving from the fact that it has been the time when huge crowds push stores into "the black," or profitability. But the weekend doesn't provide a forecast for the rest of the season, which accounts for as much as 40 percent of annual sales and profits for many stores.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, has Black Friday lures like deeply discounted TVs like 42-inch plasma Emerson HDTVs for $448, and other electronics like $78 Magnavox Blu-ray disc players, for the early morning specials that start at 5 a.m.
Toys R Us, which threw open its doors just after midnight Friday, five hours earlier than a year ago, is hawking 250 early morning specials that offer discounts of up to 65 percent on such items as VTech Learning Laptops and Little Tikes Jump 'n Slide Bouncer.
Midprice department store operator Kohl's Corp., which is set to open at 4 a.m., is offering deep discounts on cashmere sweaters, dresses and select kitchen appliances.
The nation's largest electronics chain, Best Buy Co., will open its doors at 5 a.m. will have such deals as $999.99 Samsung 46-inch flat-panel TVs, a savings of $700; and Sony laptops for $479.97, a savings of $180.
Get the full story: Black Friday begins early for bargain shoppers.
Article provided in partnership with ChicagoBreakingNews.com.