Black Friday is quickly approaching, and bustles of people eagerly await the biggest shopping day of the year. From technology and toys to clothes and home goods, there is a Black Friday deal to satisfy every budget.
In the past, Black Friday was met with lines of people and shoppers determined to do anything to get the desired deal or item. Today, however, early deals and online shopping have led to a decline in Black Friday’s popularity, and people are choosing to stay home and shop online deals or not shop at all.
Stores such as Walmart and Target have already started their Black Friday deals. Early Black Friday deals at Walmart are online only until Nov. 29, but Target’s early deals apply online and in-store, allowing hungry shoppers to beat the Friday crowds and jumpstart their holiday shopping.
The biggest Amazon deals include up to 50% off toys, Beats Solo 4 headphones for 50% off and up to 55% off televisions. For Target, deals you can’t miss include up to 50% off vacuum cleaners, up to $200 off select Apple products and up to 50% off kitchen appliances. Walmart has $50 off a Nintendo Switch Mario Kart bundle, a Windows laptop for $129 (originally $249) and a kid’s bike for $48, which was originally $78.
According to Drive Research, 75% of over 1,000 people surveyed said they intend to shop Black Friday sales online this year and 34% will start shopping on Thanksgiving Day. The National Retail Federation reports that 183.4 million people plan to shop in person and online over the Black Friday weekend.
Following the frenzy of Black Friday, shoppers have more opportunities to buy gifts on a budget and support small businesses. Small Business Saturday, founded by American Express, is the day after Black Friday and has brought over $200 billion to small businesses since beginning in 2010. Small Business Saturday encourages consumers to shop locally after the big-box stores' Black Friday spotlights fade.
Following Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday takes over. The day dedicated to online shopping brings even more deals for shoppers to peruse from the comfort of their own homes.
Many of the biggest Black Friday deals remain the same across varying stores. For example, the Amazon Kindle, originally $109.99, is on sale for $84.99 at Target, Walmart and Amazon. Although shopping multiple stores may bring even more savings to consumers, many deals overlap and limit the number of stops one has to make while Black Friday shopping or the number of orders one needs to purchase online.
The holiday shopping season has officially begun, and the deals are hot. Whether shopping in person for Black Friday, supporting small businesses for Small Business Saturday or shopping online for Cyber Monday, there are many ways to finish holiday shopping with a gift for everyone on your list.
