At the sight of Thanksgiving decorations in stores everywhere, it’s time to get excited for one of the best days at the end of the year, Black Friday. It’s never too early to start thinking about Black Friday, and while the format has certainly changed over the years, it will be extra different this November as Americans try to navigate a world where it’s not safe to crowd people in an enclosed store. Black Friday is officially on Nov. 27 this year; it’s always the Friday after Thanksgiving. With all that has changed this year, there are still many questions about how Black Friday will be executed—namely whether or not people will even be allowed to shop in person.
But it isn’t all bad news this year for deal hunters. Stores such as Target, Walmart, Best Buy and other big retailers have begun their sales to kick off an avalanche of holiday sales that will carry right into December. Retailers are doing their best to safely draw in customers during the 2020 holiday shopping season by expanding the length of time to shop online doorbuster deals and offering curbside pickup and delivery. Merchants have slowly released their plans for Black Friday 2020. Here are the latest updates.
Target: Target is holding a month long Black Friday sale with deals dropping every week during November. Shoppers can have a preview on the upcoming Black Friday deals every Thursday through Saturday. The retailer is also extending its price matching policy for Black Friday deal purchases made between Nov. 1 through Nov. 28, 2020. Shoppers can qualify for a price adjustment if any purchases labeled “Black Friday Deal” have lowered from what they paid anytime on or before Dec. 24.
Walmart: Walmart has announced it will be closed on Thanksgiving for the first time in 30 years. The retailer is currently hosting its early Black Friday deals and Black Friday pickup deals this holiday season. This year the company has decided to initiate an earlier Black Friday 2020 experience called “Deals for Days.” On Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. EST, Walmart officially kicks off its third and final “Black Friday Deals for Days” online-only event. On Black Friday, shoppers can shop the new deals that will be available online starting Nov. 27 at 12 a.m. EST and in stores beginning at 5 a.m. local time.
Best Buy: Best Buy is providing more ways than ever to get tech this holiday season that are safe and convenient for everyone. The retailer has expanded their same-day delivery options; almost all Best Buy stores now offer this option for thousands of products. If the order is made by 3 p.m., the order will arrive by 9 p.m. the same day. Contactless curbside pickup is also available, and orders will be ready within an hour if shoppers choose to shop online. Plus, they have just extended their curbside pickup hours. These hours can be found on the Best Buy website and may vary by store location.
Amazon: Amazon’s Black Friday sale has yet to officially start, but already shoppers can see Black Friday deals across tons of categories and products. Amazon is already in the holiday shopping spirit with a page dedicated to holiday deals for Prime and non-Prime members to take advantage of. This page can help shoppers gain an insight into what types of deals they can expect during Amazon’s Black Friday sale.
By Hannah Taib, Contributing Writer