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More Black Friday sales start Thursday

Sears plans to open its doors at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving, even earlier than some of its largest competitors.

By MSN Money Partner Nov 5, 2012 3:18PM

This post comes from Melinda Fulmer of MSN Money.

 

Image: Santa Claus (© Corbis)Retailers are more determined than ever to horn in on your Thanksgiving dinner, starting their Black Friday sales before or soon after you've consumed that big bird.

 

Sears announced that it will open its doors at 8 p.m. on Nov. 22 and keep them open for a whopping 26 hours, or until 10 p.m. on Black Friday, to accommodate its customers who sought more "flexible" shopping hours. The night owls will get door-busters at 10 p.m. and the early birds will get a second round of limited-quantity deals at 4 a.m.

 

Sears' decision to open its doors early probably has as much to do with the competition as it does with its customers. Toys R Us and Wal-Mart last year opened their doors at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m., respectively, on Turkey Day. Sears, meanwhile, was one of the holdouts, sticking to its 4 a.m. Friday start time.

 

Nobody, it seems, wants to be last in line for consumers' hard-earned dollars.

Department store rival Kohl's, for one, has said that its Black Friday sales will go live online at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 21, and its stores will open at midnight on Thanksgiving. While many stores do offer many of their deals as early as Wednesday or Thursday, it's rare that a retailer announces these online deals, in part because stores want shoppers to come out to their locations, where they typically spend more on impulse buys.

 

Sears' sister company, Kmart, meanwhile, has been open on Thanksgiving Day for 21 years running and will continue to be, open from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. and then again from 8 p.m. until 3 a.m. Friday.

 

In other shopping news, the Black Friday ad for RadioShack was leaked today, and hardware giant Lowe's provided a glimpse of 25 of its hottest Black Friday deals.

 

By this time next week, experts say, many of the largest stores will have released their ads, allowing shoppers to begin checking off which of the 20,000 estimated Black Friday sale items will make their list. 

 

More on MSN Money:

Tags: gift givingholidayholiday spendingshoppingshopping deals
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119Comments
Mrs Holt
Nov 11, 2012 12:45AM
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Only in America do we spend an entire day being thankful for the things we have and then follow it up by being retail pigs, trampling others and rudely pushing and shoving to grab a 'hot ticket' item we 'must have'.  Sad, sad, sad...
nowherenomad
Nov 10, 2012 9:04PM
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Corporate Greed! It's disgusting to think that retail workers cannot even have time to spend with their families because of the need to fill the pocket of a fat cat rich man. I have never shopped during these extended hours and will never do so. The whole situation is made more dire when you consider that most of the "sales" aren't very good either.  So, go ahead, be gulible and be there at 8pm or midnight.  Until we learn to say no, the fat rich guys will probably move their opening hours even earlier next year.
Wayne King
Nov 10, 2012 7:14PM
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You would have thought by now people would have gotten smarter.  I think this "black Friday" thing has them hypnotized, this is not to your benefit, all it does is make the Retailers richer.  If you bargin shop all year, you can beat the game, and guess what ' No Lines'.
Cindy888
Nov 9, 2012 3:23PM
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I realize everyone has an opinion, but until you actually work in retail and have had to leave your family on Thanksgiving Day to go to work, you just won't get it. I have worked retail for 26 years, and until recently, was a Store Manager for Kohl's. Last year we opened at midnight, that means employees had to be there at least one to two hours earlier. This is after working until 2am the night before to make sure the store was ready. There is no time to spend with loved ones, as your mind is totally focused on making it through another Black Friday keeping your customers and employees safe. This is completely different than saving lives, such a shame corp America values material items more then family values. I will not be working this year, or shopping, I feel that everyone should have a day to give Thanks.
Heydad2u
Nov 9, 2012 3:20PM
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Trust me they DON'T CARE.
quartzxls
Nov 6, 2012 10:16PM
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It's a disgrace that retailers expect staff to work on Thanksgiving. I will be sure NOT to go to those stores so they get lower sales and understand that we do not want our fellow Americans to have to work on this important national holiday. Good for JC Penneys and BOO on Sears!
DADof 3
Nov 6, 2012 6:18PM
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Sorry In My Opinion THANKSGIVING is More Important than another Shopping Trip!!  That is the Problem with Holidays Now they are to Commercialized!!  God, Family and Friends is what should be MOST important on the few Holydays We Get Each Year!!
I think its time
Nov 6, 2012 6:09PM
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This whole thing is turning into a big joke. Before long what will be the point? Why even call it Black Friday anymore? Just keeping moving it up and up and then why bother? Think the whole point is getting missed and has been hyped up so much in the last few years that it lost whatever meaning it used to have. Stop moving it up and give people the day off on Thursday for crying out loud! The point is to spend time with families. Not worry about shopping or having to sleep the day before so you have to get up and be at work by midnight for the opening. Move it back to like it used to be where it was around 6 in the morning, not 8pm the day before. Some of the dopes these companies employ in their marketing depts really have me floored. Give people a chance to spend time with familes and stop the intense focus on buying crap. One thing that is very messed up in this country. IMO stores should be closed or only open part time on Thanksgiving, and those that are opening being mainly some grocery or convienant stores, other retailers should just be closed. I'm not against black friday per se, I've gone in the morning, its is an "experience" to say the least I'm just tired of the constant focus on buying crap, most of which we don't need or can't afford, and the encroachment on a holiday that people should have off and use to spend with families. Cyber Monday seems to be better anyways.

I think its time

chaz482
Nov 6, 2012 5:43PM
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I love black friday but it is called black FRIDAY for a reason.  it needs to be on Friday, not Thanksgiving day.  Even having the sales starting at midnight is not right.  i enjoy going to bed late, getting up early and being at the stores at 4 or 5 am for the deals.  Not giving Kmart employees some time with their families on Thanksgiving is obsurd.  Closing for 2 hours??  What good is that for the employees??

ruserious470
Nov 6, 2012 5:17PM
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I work retail and even opening at 12 am Friday ruins Thanksgiving for retail workers. You have to eat and the go right to sleep so you can go into work overnight.

Texas72
Nov 6, 2012 2:43PM
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Very sad, Christmas does not mean anything anymore. I will be not be shopping one Thursday or Friday.
Mary Lynne Hamlin
Nov 6, 2012 1:55PM
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We own a restaurant in Depoe Bay, Oregon and Customers are angry when we tell them that we will be closed for Thanksgiving. They ask... "Where are supposed to eat?
Joseph Zeug (AGN Joe)
Nov 6, 2012 1:48PM
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The only way people can restore the idea of people enjoying a day of Thanksgiving on Thursday is to NOT ENTER THE STORES and avoid them like the plague until Friday during the day.  I went out ONCE on a Black Friday early in the morning and I was knocked down as I entered the store and tore a muscle in my shoulder one year.

I will NEVER go out on Black Friday again.  EVER.

 

And I know it's probably stupid to say Don't go out on Black Friday, because people will go no matter what.  But if we want a return to normalcy and honor Thanksgiving for what it is so people can enjoy a day of thanks with their families, this is what we have to do.  Write to the owners of the stores.  Tell them to stop being greedy and searching for the almighty dollar and give the people a break.

lisa l
Nov 6, 2012 1:40PM
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One of the reasons I got out of retail after 24 years!! This year, I will enjoy Thanksgiving weekend with friends and family for the first time in years! Retailers greed is just pathetic and corporations don't give a rats **** if their employees spend their holiday putting up with the madness they have created!! Glad to see the majority of people are against these decisions by retailers. Boycott them by  NOT SHOWING UP black friday!!!

Bill Moore
Nov 6, 2012 1:27PM
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There is one way to stop all the nonsense. Don't shop on these special days and there won't be any reason to be open. When these businesses get hit in their pocketbooks then they will give back these precious family times  to their employees and the Holidays will be what they once were.
Another concerned American
Nov 6, 2012 12:52PM
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Staying home with family is much,much more priceless!

Rebel74
Nov 6, 2012 12:14PM
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Please, for once, can we just slow down a bit and enjoy spending time with family and friends?!  It is like Thanksgiving is the lost holiday.  I have been seeing Christmas displays as early as 3 weeks BEFORE HALLOWEEN.
keep our rights
Nov 6, 2012 12:05PM
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The only way the corporations will ever get it is if people don't come to shop. Show them we won't tolerate this & don't go shopping on Thanksgiving! It's as simple as that.
Dutch7093
Nov 6, 2012 12:02PM
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I value spending time with my family rather than standing in line for something.

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