Ready, Set, Shop! Big Box Stores Opening Earlier For Black Friday 2011

Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season.  Up to 152 million shoppers are expected to visit stores and websites during Black Friday Weekend, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF). Last year, some 212 million shoppers spent about $45 billion over the four days, according the NRF.

is opening at midnight this year; last year the retailer opened at 4 a.m. Joining it will be Macy's and many stores in the mall. Wal-Mart and Toys R Us will open at 10 p.m.

Writing in Forbes, Lydia Dishmah, provides an overview of "apps designed to help consumers shop smarter, faster and cheaper."  Shopkick, for example, enables shoppers to earn reward points just by opening the app in the entrance area of participating stores. Target is one local retailer taking part.

There's an official Black Friday website, TheBlackFriday.com, featuring Black Friday ads, sales information, and shopping tips.  Included in their tips:

• Decide what you want in advance, because you won't be able to cover all stores.
• Give preference to the big ticket items, because on these you'll save more.
• Buy only what you need so you don't end up paying a restocking fee.
• Avoid traffic congestion by parking away from the store and walking.

Here is a sampling of local Black Friday deals:

Wal-Mart's Black Friday sale kicks off at 10 p.m. on Thursday for children’s toys and household items; more deals will be unveiled at 12:01 a.m. on Friday and runs for 24 hours for electronics; and even more special prices are promised at 8 a.m. For the shopper who likes to attack the isles with a plan, Wal-Mart offers a Black Friday store map.

Electronics appear to be again popular this year. A full 11 pages of the retailer's 31-page Black Friday circular are devoted to TVs, cameras, DVDs and other mobile and media-viewing devices; seven pages display children’s toys and apparel; and one page offers deals for holiday decorations. 

The one-stop shop department-grocery-electronics store bypassed Black Friday altogether by keeping its doors open on Thanksgiving Day from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. The store will re-open at 5 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 25, which is when the real deals will start during Fred Meyer’s six-hour sale from 5-11 a.m. Radio ads promise free coffee and doughnuts to fuel early morning shoppers. The store will remain open until 11 p.m. Friday.

Target will open at midnight for its annual Black Friday sale.

If the Black Friday rush isn’t your thing, the retailer is offering respectable deals on toys clothing, homewares and electronics in-store and online.

After you’ve hit the early morning Black Friday sales, head over to Staples’ "early bird sale," which kicks off at 6 a.m. and runs through noon Friday. While the early sale offers extra-special deals, the sale will continue through Saturday. The office-supply store’s circular advertises deals on electronics and home-office supplies.

And then there are the coupons.

is offering a 15 percent coupon for any purchase through Wednesday. Click here to print out that coupon.

At, take an extra 15% off your entire purchase with promo code GOBBLE15 at checkout on any online purchase through Sunday.

is offering 15 percent off of your entire purchase through Wednesday with this coupon.

will give you 40 percent off of jackets and vests at the store with this coupon.

is offering give you 50 percent off of any kids or baby item when you sign up for their coupon here. For Black Friday, the retailer will offer discounts of up to 60 percent on adult and children's items in-store and online.

is offering a V.I.P shopping bag filled with 11 exclusive products valued at $100.

But if Black Friday and big box stores aren't your deal, stay at home, eat more turkey and venture out a day later for .