Retailers ready for holiday shopping season

But it can be hard to know just how long those stores will be open – or if they will be open at all.

For example, Karen Cobb, a spokeswoman for Lowe’s Home Improvement, said by email: “Lowe’s was founded in 1946, and historically stores have been closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day”. And she gets up around 1 a.m. on Black Friday to go to such stores as Target and Kohl’s.

The retail organization anticipates up to $117 billion of the sales will take place online, or from 7% to 10% more than previous year.

But, the event’s encroachment in recent years on the Thanksgiving holiday, with several stories opening their doors on Thursday in advance of Black Friday, has led some area residents to prioritize time with friends and family over savings.

Online shopping is also projected to grow by an additional 7 to 10 percent this year, according to the NRF.

Are you a big fan of Black Friday shopping?

In the wave of Black Friday ads that are targeting shoppers right now, JCPenney’s stands out. Consumers are also more educated about Black Friday shortcuts, such as TVs being made by inferior brands and with fewer options that make them less of a bargain than they seem.

Customers that want to shop early can do so starting with Black Friday deals on Walmart.com at 12:01 a.m. ET Thanksgiving morning, continuing when Walmart’s Black Friday event begins in stores at 6 p.m. local time Thanksgiving Day, and then throughout Cyber Week beginning Friday at 12:01 a.m. ET. Smith says more than 74 percent of consumers plan to make purchases that day.

Mr Callaghan said the pre-Christmas sales were more logical for consumers, allowing them to buy before the holiday than wait for Australia’s traditional in-store Boxing Day sales.

“They gonna shop until they drop”, said shopper Keith Jeffcoat.

Black Friday won’t come early tonight at Chattanooga’s two big indoor shopping malls.

Downtown Dalton Development Authority Director Garrett Teems says many downtown merchants will be open on Black Friday but their main focus will be the next day on Small Business Saturday, when locally-owned stores across the country offer special promotions and deals. The Washington Post has considered all the deals and rounded up some data to assist you in deciding where and when to open your wallet this weekend.

On one of the biggest shopping days of the year, Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop will remain closed on Black Friday and is instead encouraging customers to meet the owners and employees on La Chua Trail for bird watching. Black Friday and close 10 p.m.

Black Friday shopping seems to have gotten more complicated than ever.

The electronics store will open at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving and close at 1 a.m. early Friday.

Once you have your list ready, decide which stores you will need to visit first. On Black Friday, it’s open at 5 a.m.

Closed Thanksgiving, though officials said “anchor” stores, like Macy’s, can choose to open. The Black Friday sale starts when stores reopen at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving. Santa will start his shift at 8 p.m. Phone activations will begin at 9 p.m. on November 24.