Are you planning to head out on Black Friday in search of great deals? If you are, most stores will be open — and many have extended hours. There is, however, one store that goes against the grain. Here’s what you should know.
What Stores Are Open on Black Friday?
While many national and regional retailers close or have limited hours on Thanksgiving Day, most open bright and early on Black Friday — with enticing deals.
Walmart, for example, will be open at 6 a.m. this year and is planning to offer discounts on Apple Watches and AirPods, Samsung 65-inch TVs, Ninja blenders and more.
[READ: The Best Time to Buy Everything.]
Best Buy is also running a Black Friday sale on products from thousands of top brands starting on November 17. Its stores will also be open an hour earlier than usual, at 9 a.m., starting November 6.
Many other popular stores like Target, JCPenny, Macy’s, Lowe’s, Costco, GameStop and Kohl’s are also promoting their Black Friday sales.
As a general rule, unless a store has explicitly stated otherwise, it’ll likely be open for business on Black Friday.
[READ: Stores With the Best and Worst Return Policies.]
What Stores Are Closed on Black Friday?
One store that forgoes the Black Friday frenzy is the outdoor retailer REI. Since 2015, the co-op has closed its doors on the day following Thanksgiving and encouraged employees and members to instead spend time outside. This has become known as the “Opt Outside” movement.
Last year, REI decided it would make the movement permanent and turn Black Friday into a paid holiday for all of its employees. So, if you’re an REI loyalist, you’ll have to keep an eye out for great deals on another day.
While no other large retailers have announced that they will be closed on Black Friday, local or regional stores may opt-out. If you’re interested in visiting a particular store, your best bet is to contact the location about its hours and sale details ahead of time.
How to Find the Best Black Friday Deals
“Historically, big-box retailers like Walmart, Target and Best Buy have been at the forefront of offering stellar Black Friday deals, especially in the electronics and home appliances sector. For apparel, stores like Macy’s, Gap and Kohl’s often have enticing offers,” says Dennis Shirshikov, an adjunct professor of economics at the City University of New York and head of content at the real-estate website Awning.
[READ: 7 Things to Buy Early This Holiday Season.]
Many retailers are currently promoting Black Friday deals on their websites, through the mail, in TV and radio ads, and via emails and press releases. Now can be a good time to research deals from your favorite stores and join their email lists.
Shirshikov adds that it’s also worth looking to nontraditional avenues like online marketplaces, such as Amazon, and your favorite brands’ websites, as they can have exclusive deals not found in physical stores.
But you don’t have to do all the research on your own. Websites and apps like BlackFriday.com, Flipp and ShopSavvy can help you find Black Friday deals and run price comparisons.
“Using price-tracking tools can provide insights into price histories, helping you discern a genuinely good deal from a nominal price drop,” Shirshikov says.
Is Shopping on Black Friday Worth It?
“Black Friday was once the pinnacle of discount shopping but retailers have begun exploring many other ways to attract customers around the holidays. Cyber Monday, for instance, offers similar deals but with the added convenience of shopping 100% online,” says Jake Hill, CEO of DebtHammer, an online debt consolidation planner.
“To keep up with customer demand and intense competition in the retail industry, many companies also offer various deals in the days or weeks leading up to Black Friday. Thanks to these alternatives, Black Friday shopping isn’t quite as worthwhile as it once was,” Hill says.
Mindy Weinstein, a consumer marketing expert, adds that the only way to find out if a Black Friday deal is worth it is to do your research.
“We tend to fear that we’ll miss an exceptional deal on these shopping days because of the way retailers position the sale items. Many times, by simply doing research ahead of time to determine the normal price of the product and the price cuts that have occurred previously, you can quickly identify if a product is truly a great deal or not,” she says.
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What Stores are Open (and Closed) on Black Friday? originally appeared on usnews.com
