18.05.12

Toys R Us starts the frenzy at 9 p.m., followed by Walmart at 10 p.m. today. Many other large retailers open at midnight to appease ravenous shoppers looking for the best deal.

Can retailers handle the madness a full six to seven hours before previous Black Friday hours? Most are advertising lowest-ever Black Friday prices. According to the National Retail Federation, holiday sales are expected to rise 2.8 percent, translating to $466 billion this year, modest compared with 2010’s 5.2 percent gain.

Endurance shoppers, you’ve been training all year for this. It’s going to hurt, and you will be exhausted. But all those hours watching weekend deals, reading Black Friday ads and projections and planning a strategy for hitting the sales should pay off.

However, the day won’t pass without disappointment. With so many stores opening earlier, you’ll have a harder time picking and choosing which to hit first. Will you stake out Walmart at 10 p.m. to buy clothing, toys and home furnishings and hang around for the midnight opening of the electronics department?

Source: Daily Comet