Here’s How Google Wants to Help You Avoid Black Friday Crowds

Next, Google recommends avoid consumer electronics and cell phone stores, as those stores are swamped more so than any other kind of store on Black Friday.

More than ever before, Google wants to help shoppers navigate the wretched non-holiday known as Black Friday. Up to 61 percent of Black Friday shoppers have already begin researching their shopping trip well ahead of Thanksgiving, according to Google Adwords.

Want to shop on Black Friday, but hate crowds?

As Black Friday doesn’t fall on a payday this year, and with Christmas right around the corner, shoppers have to be careful not to fall into the red – but rather stay in the black. Department stores such as Wal-Mart don’t get comparatively busier than other stores until around 10 p.m., according to the Google data. However, retailers than have the lowest foot traffic include shopping malls, department stores (think Macys, Lord & Taylor), super stores (think Walmart, K-Mart) and dollar stores (think Dollar Tree, Lot Less).

“We took more that weekend than we did in the whole of half-term week which is usually a busy time too”. In fact, there’s quite a rush to discount stores and dollar stores for those desperation gifts on Christmas Eve. “Foot traffic to electronics stores is two times as high on Black Friday than other weekends during the holiday season, and traffic for cellphone stores is 1.6 times as high”, the report revealed. Google notes an increase in foot traffic on Thursday evening that actually trumps the activity they see on Fridays. Most locations will post their inventory on their websites so that you know exactly what you’re getting yourself into.

“We’ve done a lot of recruiting of Christmas temps and we’re expecting a busy run up to Christmas”.

With up to 30 percent of all shopping purchases now taking place via mobile, shoppers would do well to utilize their cellphones to speed up a shopping trip. Either way, you’ll spend a lot less time wondering where to find a FitBit.