BlackFriday.com Trends and Predictions

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As your main source for everything related to Black Friday, we will be sure to keep you updated on important information like store hours, price matching policies, layaway and free shipping offers. Every year we post when each store will have their Black Friday deals go live along with the latest Black Friday news, and as always we will bring you the best deals from your favorite retailers. We've also compiled predictions for the 2014 Black Friday season along with a closer look at some of the trends we expect to see.  

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2014 Black Friday Trends

Black Friday Promotions & Deals

Black Friday shopping is widely popular due to the deals and the rush of finding such great savings. According to a study by Marvin Traub Associates, 57% of consumers found Black Friday shopping fun as opposed to the 43% who did not. ICSC & Goldman Sachs conducted a poll in 2013 that showed 46% of consumers plan to shop on Black Friday 2013 where 33% were planning to do so in 2012. The same study has been conducted since 2009 and the percentage of shoppers who planned to shop on Black Friday have steadily increased year over year.

Source: ICSC & Goldman Sachs

Major retailers like Walmart, Target, Amazon, Best Buy and Toys R Us will continue to dominate the market as shoppers will flock to these stores for their Black Friday promotions. According to comScore, the top sites visited during the 2013 Black Friday weekend in order were: Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Target, and Apple:

We will continue to see consumers researching and finding the best deals. This includes mission shopping for specific items that shoppers are looking for this holiday season. We expect retailers to continue to offer amazing deals for Black Friday with incentives both online and in store. Best Buy will be one of the retailers offering Black Friday savings and doorbusters to customers both online and in store this coming 2014 Black Friday. As we have seen over the years, the deals will start early into the Black Friday season and retailers will continue to use email marketing, online advertising, and social media to spread the Black Friday deals and promotions. Historically since 2009, ad scans have started leaking in early October. Last year, Harbor Freight released their ad on October 15, 2024 with Macy’s following on October 17^th. This year we have already seen Walmart, Target and Toys R Us release their top toys for the 2014 Black Friday season and anticipate ad scans to start being released in early October.

Here are our predictions for 2014 ad scans:

• October 14  Harbor Freight
• October 17  Target Toy Book
• October 20  Macy's
• October 24  Toys R Us Toy Book
• November 3  Toys R Us
• November 7  Dell
• November 10  Walmart, Target, Sears, Kmart
• November 11  Kohl's
• November 12  Best Buy, Home Depot
• November 13  Lowe's, Sears Hardware
• November 17  Apple
• November 24  MacMall

View our other store ad release predictions for 2014 here along with previous years. 

The tendency for store openings on Black Friday has been for major retailers opening their doors on Thanksgiving. Black Friday stores that opened on Thanksgiving in 2013 were: Walmart, Best Buy, Target, Amazon, Toys R Us, Kohl’s, Macy’s, Kmart, Sears, JC Penney, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Dell, Newegg, Staples, Old Navy, Gap and Aeropostale just to name a few. We anticipate the same retailers will do the same for 2014 Black Friday and possibly a few new retailers to join in on this trend.

2010:  Sears & Walmart open their doors for the first time on Thanksgiving

2012:  Target opens on Thanksgiving

2013:  JC Penney and Macy’s join in on Thanksgiving Day

During the 2012 Black Friday season, we saw a lot of backlash from the public and workers towards retailers for being open on Thanksgiving Day. Walmart and Target saw workers protesting, striking and circulating petitions. Since then, Walmart has offered their workers some incentives for working on the holiday like an additional 25% off one purchase, Thanksgiving dinner at work and extra holiday pay. Although the sentiment still resonates with workers and the public, stores have continued to open their doors on Thanksgiving with more retailers expected to join in on this trend. For a historical look at store openings and hours we’ve compiled the past few years here:

Black Friday 2013 Store Hours

Black Friday 2012 Store Hours

Black Friday 2011 Store Hours

Be sure to sign up to BlackFriday.com for all the latest deals and ad breaks for the upcoming season.

Pre-Black Friday Deals and Savings (Online and In store)

We expect Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Kohl’s and Sears to be among the early openers for 2014 Black Friday and this trend should continue with these retailers releasing their ad scans in advance as well. Each year, we see ad scans being leaked early and many retailers have started releasing them early to avoid such leaks or publicizing teasers well in advance of Black Friday. Kmart aired its first holiday ad in early September and back in 2012, Macy’s released a Black Friday teaser on October 18^th announcing their sales which included a $10 off coupon for purchases of $25 or more on sale and clearance apparel.

Pre-Black Friday deals are expected once again this year with retailers like Walmart and Amazon offering Black Friday deals almost a month in advance. We anticipate Walmart, Best Buy and Toys R Us to have many of their pre-Black Friday discount offerings and promotions available to both online and in store shoppers.

In 2013, Walmart offered their amazing online sales during the entire month of November and this year should be no different. Last year, Walmart started their in store deals 2 hours earlier than 2012 (from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.).

At 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving 2013, Walmart offered 10 items that were made available on special sale which included:

• iPad mini 16GB Wi-Fi enabled $299 with $100 gift card
• 60" Vizio flat panel TV for $688 ($310 savings)

Then at 8 p.m. Walmart had 3 other items available at discounted prices which included:

• Beats by Dr. Dre headphones for $115 ($85 savings)
• 7" RCA tablet for $49 ($50 off)

Walmart’s third phase began at 8 a.m. on Black Friday which offered a $75 gift card with the purchase of the iPhone 5c or 5s with a 2 year contract with either AT&T or Verizon. However, not all of Walmart’s 2013 Black Friday deals were available online and in store.

In 2012, Kohl’s launched their Dream Receipts holiday promotion where one Black Friday shopper in every Kohl’s location would receive their purchase for free (online shoppers included). They also offered free Wi-Fi in their stores. In 2010, we saw Target & Kohl’s release press details of their Black Friday sales plan early on in the season. Target launched a 4 day sale with over 170 items and in addition offered a 2 day online only sale featuring items that would not be included in the Black Friday sale.

Last year, Sears had sales every weekend in November leading up to Black Friday (this began in 2009) and will probably do the same for 2014. They also offered members of their loyalty program the opportunity to order doorbusters online and pick up in store.

In 2011, Amazon started launching their Black Friday promotions early at the beginning of November with new deals being offered every day and every hour leading up to Black Friday. Discounts from 40-60% off were offered on electronics, books, music and apparel with free shipping on items over $25. 2013 Amazon Black Friday deals began on November 1^st with the Countdown to Black Friday sales event where they pushed Black Friday deals every 10 minutes both online and through their mobile app. We’re predicting more retailers will try and start Black Friday sales early to maximize the holiday season.

There will also be more emphasis on unique items that can only be bought in one outlet as opposed to multiple retailers and channels. For example, we saw Target lean on exclusive merchandise to help thwart price comparisons: Target teamed with the Neiman Marcus Group in 2012 to carry unique gift collections created by 24 fashion designers like Carolina Herrera, Derek Lam, Jason Wu, Diane von Furstenberg and Marc Jacobs to name a few.

Over the years we have seen an increase in both online and in store promotions with retailers such as Walmart, Best Buy, Target, Kohl’s, Macy’s, Apple and Nordstrom.  According to the Consumer Electronics Association about 37% of American adults go shopping on Black Friday and Walmart seems to be a clear favorite as one of the most visited retailers. They were also one of the leaders in offering online shoppers the same discounts as in store followed by Best Buy, Target then Apple. Retailers like Target and Best Buy will offer VIP and/or loyalty incentives which give shoppers exclusive early access, additional savings and cash back offers.

Don’t forget to check if you belong to any loyalty programs with your favorite retailers so that you can take full advantage of your eligible savings and be sure to research any additional coupons that could be used with shopping online. By signing up to your favorite retailers' email subscription it will ensure that you have access to all the latest news and special email campaigns. BlackFriday.com will be sure to highlight those deals that can be purchased for the same savings online as in the stores so be sure to visit BlackFriday.com store pages for all the details with your favorite stores.

Doorbusters and Flash Sales

The popularity of doorbusters continues year after year with retailers offering some amazing deals. We have seen more retailers offering multiple doorbusters throughout the day like last year when Walmart and Kohl’s offered multiple savings throughout the day on Black Friday. In 2013, Walmart offered their item guarantee for those waiting in line that would guarantee doorbusters for those who stood in line and the store ran out of stock. Walmart’s one-hour guarantee program which originally started in 2012 with just 3 items has expanded to now include 21 items in 2013.  

Last year, Toys R Us extended their doorbuster prices to rewards members in advance, and Dell had a 24 hour sale for laptops. We saw Kohl’s offering three different sales between November 5^th - 20^th, 2013: Power Hours, Early Birds, and Night Owls Sales. A few deals from last year were:

• 55-60% off + an additional 15% off Fine Jewelry and Silver Jewelry (Early bird)
• 60% off all Carters and OshKosh B'gosh Winter Playwear (Early bird)
• 50% off all toys from Fisher Price, PlaySkool, and Step 2 (Night Owl)

We forecast that shoppers will see similar offerings for Black Friday 2014. Some retailers like Walmart, Best Buy, Target, Toys R Us and Sears offer doorbusters to both online and in store customers but be sure to read the fine details as sometimes there are restrictions in regards to availability. Many doorbusters and flash type sales offered online and in store are time sensitive. Last year, Dell Flash sales online were only available for a few hours and Amazon had new deals every 10 minutes for a limited time. Don’t forget that deals will be limited in the number that are available and for a limited time period (quantity limited per store, while supplies last, flash sales for a specific time period). BlackFriday.com will have all the details for all the best 2014 Black Friday doorbusters and flash sales.

Layaway

Layaway is a great option for those who want to budget their holiday spending. Another great incentive is the ability to pick up these items in store after securing them. Sears and Kmart were the first retailers offering this service in 2010. In 2012, Walmart offered this service a month earlier than 2011. Other stores that offered this service in 2013 Black Friday included: Walmart, Best Buy, Toys R Us, Kmart, Sears, Burlington Coat Factory and Cabela’s. Walmart’s layaway offering last year offered free layaway between November 1^st - December 24^th with the advantage of price guarantee where if shoppers found a better deal elsewhere they would be awarded with a gift card with the difference (this excluded Black Friday deals). This year we already see Kmart offering layaway online and in store with $10 down plus members get 5% off toy, home and sporting goods. Walmart’s 2014 layaway offers their customers the opportunity to layaway items for $10 or 10% of the purchase (whichever is greater) for purchases in store from September 12^th - December 15^th, 2014. We anticipate retailers like Walmart, Target and Kmart will continue to promote layaway options to encourage early buying.

Free Shipping

Retailers will often offer free shipping with no minimum but a few retailers may have some restrictions so be sure to check BlackFriday.com for all the details. Amazon offers same day delivery with prices varying for Prime members and non-Prime customers. In 2013, Amazon raised their free shipping minimum to $35 (their first increase in over a decade); they still offered their 2 day free shipping with no restrictions. Early adopters of free shipping included Walmart, Target, and Amazon.

In 2012, these retailers began offering free shipping to their customers with no minimum:

• Best Buy
• Toys R Us
• JC Penney
• Neiman Marcus
• Saks
• Staples
• Nordstrom
• Zappos

These retailers offered free shipping with minimums:

• Walmart ($45)
• Target ($50)
• Amazon ($25)
• Kohl’s ($50)
• Macy’s ($99)
• Kmart & Sears ($49)
• Lowe’s ($19)
• Coach ($50)
• Gap ($50) 

We foresee similar offerings for the upcoming 2014 Black Friday season. A great alternative to shipping is purchasing items online and picking up in store and retailers like Walmart, Best Buy, Target, Toys R Us, Home Depot, Future Shop and Lowe’s offer shoppers this preference. This allows shoppers the opportunity to take full advantage of savings early online and not have to stand in line. Take advantage of such preferences to save time and shipping costs. Stay tuned to BlackFriday.com, as we will be sure to bring you all the details regarding shipping policies for this 2014 Black Friday season.

Price Matching

Price matching started with Walmart in 2010. Target joined in 2011 and Best Buy, Toys R Us and PayPal began price matching in 2012. As the leader in price matching, Walmart began offering this service a full week before Thanksgiving in 2013 and will probably do the same for 2014 Black Friday. Target became more aggressive in 2012 by offering to price match online prices from Walmart, Best Buy, Amazon and Toys R Us. To date, other retailers offering this incentive include: Best Buy, Target, Kohl’s, Amazon, Toys R Us, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Staples and Radio Shack.

Be aware of the limitations as there are restrictions and policies regarding this incentive (i.e. Target has a price match limit of only one item, excludes 3^rd party sellers, Black Friday prices oftentimes excluded, items out of stock not included). BlackFriday.com will bring you all the latest information regarding price matching for the upcoming Black Friday season so don’t forget to check back soon or sign up to our email mailing list to receive all the latest news first!

Rise of Mobile

Omnichannel shopping is an increasing trend with consumers where shoppers go to multiple channels to research and purchase products (online, in stores, mobile apps and social media). We first saw mobile making a splash on the Black Friday shopping scene in 2009, as consumers started using it to track bargains, find local stores, research and buy products. Sears and Toys R Us first introduced mobile shopping where Sears was the first retailer with a fully functional commerce-enabled mobile site. 

In 2010, mobile devices were used by 5.6% of shoppers, and were responsible for 3.18% of sales which was up 42.60% from 2009. Some interesting numbers regarding mobile use:

• During the fourth quarter of 2013, mobile accounted for almost 35% of online traffic, up 40% year over year (Source: IBM Digital Analytics Benchmark, 2014)
• Smartphones drove 24.9% of all online traffic on 2013 Black Friday compared to tablets at 14.2%
• iOS traffic reached 28.2% of all online traffic compared to 11.4% for Android users
• On Black Friday 2013 alone, 21% of online sales were done through a smartphone (7.2%) or tablet (14.4%) (Source: comScore)

Many shoppers will continue to research and see an item in store but purchase online and retailers are catering towards these shoppers by providing similar savings to shoppers buying in store or online. Nonetheless, consumers will also use mobile to their advantage to avoid lines on Black Friday and shop from the comfort of their home or wherever they may be. The ease of mobile shopping has made it simple for consumers to comparison shop and make purchases from anywhere along with the increasing number of deals available online and additional incentives like free shipping and price matching which make it even easier to take advantage of deals online. Walmart, Target, Amazon, Kohl’s and Macy’s are great for shopping online because many of the same deals are available online as in store. For 2014 Black Friday, the mobile trend will continue with consumers using their mobile devices (tablets and smartphones) to research products and stores along with purchasing items.

Purchasing online will be encouraged by many retailers and using cross-platforms for targeting from an online and offline perspective. Staples, for instance, incorporated mobile into a flash sale in store during the 2013 holiday season, instituting online only deals from 11 p.m. Thanksgiving night until 5 a.m. Black Friday. From 5 a.m. to noon, deals surfaced for mobile users that were only redeemable in store. Over the past few years, electronics; like LCD TVs, tablets and digital SLR cameras were the most commonly searched for on mobile devices for consumers (Source: PriceGrabber). Online purchases will continue to grow with the following categories: apparel, accessories, books, music, videos, toys and hobby items.

The rise of mobile use with consumers have pushed retailers to vamp up their mobile game by offering dedicated apps for Black Friday shopping and more online savings. Walmart first introduced their mobile app in 2012 which allowed users an in store mode to see specific store related content, products and prices. Increased mobile use should continue into 2014 as retailers will offer limited-time offers and sales during Black Friday. We foresee retailers will ramp up their mobile experience and Wi-Fi connectivity to enhance the in store experience. We predict retailers like Walmart, Target and Best Buy to showcase their Black Friday apps and offer shoppers options that allow them to make purchases easily, create shopping lists, research and locate products.

Social Media

Not only are shoppers spending the time researching the best deals they are becoming savvier with information sharing. The rise of social media has created a space where shoppers are sharing more online, it isn’t much of a surprise since sites like YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest allow shoppers to have access to up-to-the-minute information available at their fingertips. With the increased use of mobile among consumers, social media is becoming a major resource that both consumers and retailers will take advantage of during the upcoming 2014 Black Friday season.

The increasing popularity of tablets and smartphones has also contributed to the rise of social media use and these trends can be seen in the numbers. In 2012, during the five day period from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday, Adobe’s Digital Index recorded $150 million in revenue that was generated from social media referrals alone (Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook). Amazon was mentioned close to 450,000 times on social networks during 2013 Black Friday. 2013 Black Friday online Twitter conversation increased 71% over 2012 to more than 2.8 million mentions (93%) (Source: Adobe Digital Index). The average Facebook order for 2013 Black Friday was $52.30 vs. Pinterest’s average at $92.51 with Facebook sales converting nearly four times that of Pinterest.

Adly, an advertising technology company released a report in 2013 that analyzed Walmart and Target’s social media use. Walmart was much more active on Twitter than Target averaging 281 tweets per day versus Target’s seven tweets per day during the thirty days leading up to Black Friday in 2013. However, Target messages appeared to be more engaging despite Walmart’s Black Friday focus with 24 retweets per post for Target versus 1 retweet per post for Walmart.

Some retailers to watch out for on Twitter for 2014 Black Friday: @WalmartSpecials, @BestBuy, @Target, @Kohls_Official, @SearsDeals, @MacysInc, @HomeDepotDeals, @Lowes, @JCPenney, and @StaplesTweets. This year we saw Twitter launch testing of the new Buy Button. We may expect to see an increase in social media purchases because of this new feature however since this feature is currently only available in the US and seen by only a small percentage of mobile users it may be too early to see the full results of this feature. Twitter does have plans to launch this to desktop users eventually. Currently, only twenty-six non-profits and musical artists were handpicked to deploy this feature (Brad Paisley, Eminem, Wiz Khalifa, Megadeth, Demi Lovato, Pharrell, Donors Choose, Glide, RED, Burberry, and Home Depot to name a few) and more brands will be expected by the fourth quarter.

We will continue to see retailers use social media to share early Black Friday sales and information. Walmart’s aggressive strategy with Facebook shows their commitment to incorporating social media into their marketing and advertising. Last year, we saw Macy’s release a 17 item preview of their Black Friday doorbusters on their Pinterest page. We expect retailers to continue to push their social media pages for not only marketing their best deals but providing useful content for their shoppers. Other retailers like, Target and Toys R Us have been quick to pick up on this trend and tailor their social media to their shoppers. Follow your favorite retailers as there will sure to be some amazing offers and specials leaked on their social media pages. Don’t forget BlackFriday.com is a great resource for savvy shoppers to discover great deals and all Black Friday information in one place.

Black Friday’s Global Reach

Black Friday’s reach has slowly trickled outside of the United States with ripples being seen the most in our neighbors up north. Canadians first saw Black Friday in 2012 where more than thirty-five top US retail brands like Walmart, Best Buy and Sears offered Black Friday promotions outside of the US. During 2012, FiftyOne Global Ecommerce reported Canada with 31% of international Black Friday sales, Australia at 19% and the United Kingdom with 6%. In 2013, Amazon UK reported a record breaking Black Friday where customers ordered 4 million items on Black Friday; the highest in their 15 year history (beating the 2012 record set on Cyber Monday when Amazon UK saw more than 3.5 million items ordered on their site).

Early adopters like Sears started offering Black Friday deals as early as 2008 in Canada but it was only in 2012 where major retailers like Walmart and Best Buy were in the loop. A few other popular retailers that expanded their global reach in 2012 included: Gap, PetSmart, The Bay, The Body Shop, and Future Shop. Target debuted Black Friday in Canada in 2013. It is predicted that 47% of Canadians will shop on Black Friday (up from 41%) compared to 59% on Boxing Day which is Canada’s equivalent to Black Friday (Source: 2013 BMO Holiday Spending Outlook). The global reach of Black Friday definitely bodes well with Canadians as the introduction of more generous duty free limits for cross-border shoppers and the value of the Canadian dollar to the US dollar become incentives to shop.

We anticipate continued growth especially in Canada, Australia and the UK during Black Friday. Last year, Walmart announced the “Walmart’s Black Fiday by ASDA” campaign in the UK (ASDA is a part of Walmart stores). In 2013, Apple extended its Black Friday deals to Australia offering customers free shipping and an iTunes gift card. Other emerging economies are showing increased interest due to greater spending with such economies and the desire for Western products (i.e. Russia, Brazil, China and India). The trend will continue with consumers outside of the US to shop Black Friday deals due to the greater selection of products and deals that are available on Black Friday.

2014 Predictions for Popular Product Categories

Black Friday is one of the busiest shopping days of the year and retailers like Walmart, Target and Best Buy offer some amazing deals. With so many deals and retailers to choose from, it can be a lot of information to digest.

To help you find the best deals, we've taken a look at trends for the most popular product categories during Black Friday over the past few years. The most favored categories are electronics and toys but, we've also included clothing and home goods which are immensely popular as well. We anticipate that there will be some amazing offers on your most wanted items for this holiday season, fom the latest electronics to toys and clothing apparel.  

Here is a closer look at some trends and predictions for 2014.  

Electronics

Electronics are one of the most popular categories for Black Friday with prices expected to drop for TVs and gaming consoles. Other popular electronics include tablets, smartphones, streaming media and cameras. Each warrants a closer look as we explore the Black Friday trends specific to these items.

TVs

TVs are always coveted items with Black Friday shoppers. We expect to see some great discounts on flat screen televisions and the best discounts will probably be seen on mid-size televisions (40-50”). Older models will offer competitive pricing as well, since newer technologies like curved TVs and 4K models are now being released. We foresee competitive prices for this coming Black Friday from Walmart, Best Buy and Target.

In 2013, Walmart offered a 32” Funai LCD TV for just $98 while Target sold the 50” Element 1080p 60Hz LED HDTV for $230 and Best Buy priced the LG 55” 1080p 120Hz LED HDTV for $500.

We expect the most popular brands for 2014 will include LG, Seiki, Sharp, Vizio and Samsung. 3D TVs will offer the greatest discount for the value since newer 4K (Ultra HD TVs) and curved models are now in circulation.  However, we do not expect curved TVs to have deep discounts since the demand for new technology is not as high as previous models. 4K models usually start at around $300 and a few off brand models should be seen for under $500.

Check retailers like Walmart and Best Buy, who will sometimes bundle HDTVs with streaming subscriptions or additional accessories which will be a great value for those looking to update their home theater. We recommend that you research the type and model of TV that you are looking for to compare pricing and features. Don’t forget to use our wishlist to compare prices and product specifications.

Video Games & Consoles

With the popularity of gaming consoles and video games, we expect that both the PS4 and Xbox One to be big sellers with retailers like Walmart, Target and Best Buy.

The newest game consoles are usually the most popular however, they will not always be discounted for Black Friday. Look for older models or discontinued ones for the best pricing.

Every year, we always see retailers offering gaming bundles which offer the best deals for their value. Holiday bundles on previous generation consoles are expected to be discounted anywhere between 30-35%. Last year’s Xbox 360 Holiday bundle which included a 250 GB console and two games sold for $189.99 (retail $299). This year we forecast that the Nintendo Wii U will be available anywhere between $200-250, PS4 for around $350, Xbox One at around $300, and the Nintendo 3DS XL for under $150.

Popular games for Black Friday 2014 will be sure to include: Madden, FIFA, Halo, NHL, Call of Duty, and Assassin’s Creed. Walmart, Toys R Us and GameStop consistently offer buy one get one 50% off. New game releases for previous generation consoles are also usually cheaper at around $30 or up to 50% off. Slightly older game titles for previous generation consoles will also see deep discounts as much as 80% off or about $10 per game

Tablets

Tablets have been on the rise as a hot commodity, especially in the last two years. In 2013, over 39% of the electronics purchased were tablets during the Black Friday shopping period (source Brightstar analytics). The iPad Mini and Air will be the most popular however, the best deals will probably be offered by Microsoft and the Kindle Fire. The Samsung Galaxy (retail $750) will also be in demand but retailers will have to be competitive with their pricing as this model retails much higher than Apple’s iPad (retail $450). We estimate the iPad 4 to be available as low as $399 and the iPad Air at around $450. Google tablets should also be priced around $200. It will be interesting to see the growth of this category as tablets’ popularity has been on the rise for the past few years.

Be sure to check with retailers like Walmart, Target, Amazon and MacMall for the best tablet deals for 2014. Walmart announced they will be carrying the T-Mobile Trio 4G tablet exclusively for six months with 200 MB of free data every month for the life of the tablet. We anticipate top retailers like Walmart, Target and Best Buy to offer some excellent bundles and incentives like gift cards that will sweeten the deal.

Laptops

Laptops are still a strong contender in the electronics category however, with the rise of tablets it will be interesting to see if they continue to hold strong as a popular commodity in the coming years. We have definitely seen prices drop considerably over the past few years due to market saturation and technology advances. As with gaming consoles and televisions; older models will always have the deepest discounts.

A HP Stream 14 Windows 8 Laptop will probably be available for under $200 and a basic 15” Dual-Core Laptop will range from $180-250 depending on the processor and model.

Be sure to check manufacturers’ like HP and Dell who will sometimes offer free shipping and considerable discounts on their products. Be on the lookout for flash sales with retailers like Amazon and Dell that offer competitive prices on laptops and desktops for a specific period and time.

Smartphones

Smartphones will continue to be a popular purchase during Black Friday. We anticipate some great deals for the following models: Android, Samsung Galaxy, LG G2, Nexus, HTC, Nexus 5, Samsung Galaxy S4, HTC One, Galaxy Note 3, and Moto X.

With Apple’s release of the iPhone 6 expect the iPhone 5 to be available for under $100. The 5s and 5c models will be priced competitively since the iPhone 6 will probably not have the steepest discounts. It may however, be bundled with gift cards or possibly other incentives like a store credit or a free accessory from some big retailers like Walmart and Best Buy.

Our prediction is that the Android phones will offer the most savings particularly prior to Black Friday with either the phone being free or almost-free on a contract. Look to carriers like Sprint, Verizon and AT&T to offer a few models as $0 phones with a contract.

Streaming media, Blu-ray & other electronics

Streaming media is definitely gaining popularity as tablets and smartphones are saturating the market. Google offers their Chromecast dongle at just under $40 and we could see this drop further for Black Friday although it is already competitively priced so the discount may be minimal.

Both Apple TV and the Roku models should be available at amazing promotional prices this Black Friday. Rokus should drop anywhere between 20-25% this Black Friday and with the various models being available (Roku 3, 2 and 1) there are sure to be some great deals on older models. Look at resellers of Apple like Amazon, Best Buy and MacMall for the best deals on Apple TV.

Blu-Ray devices will be available for approximately $35. We don’t expect this price to drastically drop as it has been steady for the past few years. Nonetheless, we do anticipate Blu-Ray movies will be heavily marked down. Blu-Ray movies are sure to be found for as low as $5, buy one get one free or discounted anywhere from 50% to 75% off select titles. Other items we expect to be popular with shoppers this holiday season are Beats by Dre headphones and digital cameras. Camera bundles with retailers like Walmart, Best Buy and Target are sure to offer the best deals as they usually include a free accessory (case or SD card).

Toys

Toys are always a hot commodity during Black Friday. Walmart, Target and Walmart usually release their top picks for toys every year with a dedicated Black Friday toy ad listing which includes the best toy deals.

Toys and games are usually closely linked with movie and video game releases and this year we expect Frozen, Hunger Games, Guardians of the Galaxy and LEGO to be among the favored. Other popular toys that we anticipate will be sought after this holiday season are: tablets for kids (LeapPad 3 released this year so we anticipate LeapPad 2 prices should drop), Spin Master’s Deluxe Flutterbye Flying Fairy, and the ever beloved Furby.

Toy deals are usually pretty great for Black Friday with some items discounted as much as 50% off the regular retail price however, prices often drop even closer to the holidays but availability might be an issue. If there is a specific toy in mind for your loved ones, we recommend taking advantage of Black Friday deals and getting them early. Walmart, Target, Toys R Us and Kmart have already released their toy lists for the 2014 holiday season.

Here’s a closer look:

Walmart released their top toy holiday picks on September 10^th. This list included the top 20 toys as surveyed by kids: FurReal, Fisher-Price Little People Musical Preschool, Doc McStuffins, Deluxe Light Up Flutterbye Fairy, Air Hogs, Spin Master, throwback classics like Hot Wheels and Nerf guns all made the list.

Target also revealed their top toys on September 16^th which were chosen in partnership with top toy manufacturers which helped identify the top toys for this 2014 holiday season. These included: Nerf, FurReal, LEGO, LeapFrog Leap TV, and Monster High Dolls to name a few.

Toys R Us’ annual Holiday Hot Toy List released on September 17^th, included 36 items determined by Toys R Us play experts and included many of the already mentioned toys with Walmart and Target: Doc McStuffins Get Better Talking Mobile, Skylanders Trap Team Starter Pack, LEGO Fusion Town Master, FurReal Friends, Transformers, Leapfrog’s Leap TV, Disney Infinity 2.0, and the Nerf Mega Thunderbow. Their list includes the Fabulous 15 which is Toys R Us’ picks for the most sought after and anticipated toys of the holiday season.  

Kmart released their Fab 15 Holiday Toy List on September 23^rd. Some of the best deals we saw include: LEGO Super Hero Set $39.99, Barbie 2014 Holiday Doll $39.99, Disney Frozen Snow Glow Elsa Doll $39.99. Kmart is offering layaway now through October 4^th, on any of the Fab 15 toys for only $10 with an additional 5% off. If purchasing online now through November 22^nd, Shop Your Way members will receive six months of free two-day shipping and be entered into a draw to win all fifteen toys.

Clothing and Apparel

The demand for clothing during Black Friday has not diminished. This category appeals to shoppers as one of the most highly requested item for the holidays and retailers do not disappoint.

Luxury department stores and high end retailers like Armani Exchange, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue and Tory Burch should offer up some great discounts on high-end goods for 2014. Cashmere sweaters and higher priced clothing items have seen large discounts up to 65% off the retail price.

In 2013, Neiman Marcus offered up to 65% off select styles. Macy’s 2013 Black Friday ad advertised Charter Club Cashmere Crew-Neck Men’s Sweaters for only $39.99 (regular retail $129) and women’s designer coats from Calvin Klein and Laundry at 60% off. Jos A Bank’s 2013 clothing deals included Executive dress pants for $49.99 (retail $185), Traveler dress shirts priced at 3 for $99 (retail $87.50), and Executive cashmere sweaters at $79 (retail $295). American Eagle offered an extra 40% off everything with free shipping during 2013 Black Friday. We saw Apt. 9 100% cashmere sweaters for just $29.74 with a coupon code at Kohl’s in 2013.

The past few years retailers like Target, Express, New York &Co, Footlocker, Finish Line, Levi’s, Nautica, Lucky Brand, Banana Republic, and Abercrombie & Fitch offered site wide discounts (between 40-60%) before and during Black Friday. For example in 2013, Macy’s offered early bird clothing discounts on select apparel for men and women under $30 where Kohl’s 2013 Black Friday clothing deals saw select apparel discounted anywhere between 40-60% off.

Fashion boots and foot apparel will also have great discounts with retailers with many offering buy one get one free or great site wide sales but pay attention to the fine print as not all the retailers will offer free shipping.

Look to stores like 6pm who will likely offer free shipping. In 2013, 6pm had no minimum for free shipping and even offered an additional coupon code that gave 10% off any purchase. 6pm’s 2013 Black Friday 24-24-24 sale posted a new pair of shoes online for $24 every hour. A few other great deals we saw were Reebok men’s shoes $24 (retail $54) and select New Balance styles at $39.99 or less.

Famous Footwear almost always offers buy one get one half off. Kohl’s offered in store 30-65% off all dress and casual shoes and 30-60% off all athletic shoes.  

Be sure to check store pages on BlackFriday.com for any additional coupons that offer 30-50% with free shipping (no minimum) and all the best clothing deals for 2014 Black Friday.

Major brands and athletic retailers like Nike, Under Armour, Foot Locker, Lulu Lemon and Coach may not offer the greatest discounts but expect them to still offer site wide discounts from anywhere between 30-50% off. Oftentimes, the brand recognition will be enough for many shoppers to purchase from these retailers even with limited promotions.

Home Goods and Appliances

Retailers tend to offer great promotions on larger appliances and home goods. Name brand washer and dryers are often bundled from $450 with retailers like Home Depot and Lowe’s.

Other popular home appliances for this season will be Keurigs, KitchenAid mixers which we expect to see from $100+, Dyson Vacuums from $250 and small appliances and tools can be found under $10. Other options for deep discounts will be refurbished items or older models that are no longer widely available.

Last year we saw, Harbor Freight Tools and Sears offering up to 30% off regular priced items during Black Friday. Many retailers like Walmart, Best Buy, Target, Sears, Toys R Us, Kmart, Home Depot and Lowe’s also offer buying online and pick up in store which is particularly convenient for large appliances. We will bring you all the latest information regarding such policies as we get closer to Black Friday.  

Apple

Apple products are always in demand and authorized resellers like Best Buy, Amazon and MacMall will always offer better discounts than the Apple store. If Apple offers a discount of 5-10%, resellers will commonly deduct almost twice this amount. As with most electronics, refurbished and discontinued models will have the best savings and discounts.

On Friday, November 29^th, 2013, Apple ran its annual Black Friday sale which included a $75 Apple Store gift card with the purchase of an iPad Air, and a $50 card with the original iPad Mini.  This still did not match the promotions we saw at retailers like Walmart which included a $100 gift card with the purchase of the iPad Mini; Best Buy discounted the iPad Air to $449 and threw in a $75 gift card; and Target reduced the price of the 16GB iPad Air to $479 and offered a $100 gift card with purchase.

This year we predict that the Apple store will offer free shipping online in addition to offering customers a gift card incentive like last year. The iPhone 5 may be available for less than $50 since Apple has now released the iPhone 6.

Google mobile users outnumber Apple but the ones spending are Apple users. According to IBM, iOS based devices drove more than $543 million dollars in online sales vs. $148 million sales for Android in 2012. As a percentage of total online sales, iOS was more than five times higher than Android, driving 23% vs. 4.6% for Android. iOS also led as a component of overall traffic with 32.6% vs. 14.8% for Android.

Gift Cards

Gift cards make great gifts during the holiday season and many shoppers like the simplicity and ease of giving these as gifts. Retailers also use them as incentives to draw shoppers into their stores and be competitive among similar offerings.

We have seen Walmart, Best Buy, Target, Amazon and iTunes offer special bundles with gift cards. For example, last year Walmart sold the iPad Mini 16GB Wi-Fi with $100 gift card for $299 and Target offered the iPad Air 16GB Wi-Fi with $100 gift card for $479.

According to the National Retail Federation, gift cards are the most requested gift item because they are simple, easy, and allow the recipient to choose their own gift.

In 2013, we saw retailers like Target and Home Depot marketing their gift cards with personalized touches. Starbucks offered eGift cards and last year shoppers were able to Tweet their gift card to their recipient.

We suspect the popularity of gift cards will continue for 2014 Black Friday with many shoppers taking advantage of retailer’s incentives of gift cards and also purchasing them as gifts.

2014 Black Friday Shopping Tips

As your source for everything related to Black Friday, we’ve compiled some helpful shopping tips to help you navigate one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

1. Early Bird  

As the common phrase goes, the early bird gets the worm and this definitely can be the case for Black Friday deals.

The earliest deals are usually seen online like last year when Walmart offered seven big doorbuster deals at midnight for online shoppers. We suspect that large retailers like Walmart, Best Buy, Target, and Toys R Us will offer the same discounts online and in stores although there may be restrictions in regards to availability and model. BlackFriday.com will be sure to highlight deals that will be available both online and in store.

Every year, we see more retailers opening their doors on Thanksgiving and 2014 will prove to be no exception. Expect to see Walmart, Target, Toys R Us, K-Mart, Macy’s, and JC Penney and possibly a few new retailers to open their doors on Thanksgiving evening. We also project that many Black Friday deals will start at least a month in advance like Amazon who traditionally start pre-Black Friday deals November 1^st. Be sure to subscribe to our email mailing list so that you’re the first to receive all the latest news for pre-Black Friday and Black Friday deals.

2. Major Retailers = Best deals

The Black Friday craze has definitely reached into all facets of businesses small or large but typically the best savings are with the larger retailers like Walmart who is a definite leader. We anticipate Walmart will be a leader again for 2014.

The best deals and discounts can be found with high-priced electronics, equipment, appliances or high ticket items. These purchases will save you the most money and Black Friday is a great time to buy for those needing new appliances for the home or a new laptop or tablet. Consider joining your favorite retailer’s online mailing list; this way you will receive the details of the sale before everyone else.

3. Mobile, Apps & Social Media

With the increasing use of mobile smartphones and tablets we will see more retailers offering deals and promotions through their mobile apps and social media pages. Walmart, Best Buy, Amazon, Target, Sears, Kmart, Macy’s, JC Penney and Newegg all have mobile apps and we predict that these retailers will try and maximize their promotions and sales during Black Friday through their apps alongside their traditional venues like their websites and ad scans.

Social media like Facebook and Pinterest are rapidly expanding their user base and stores like Walmart and Macy’s are using these tools to cater to their Black Friday audience. Last year, Macy’s offered a sneak peak of their Black Friday sales through their Pinterest page.

Retailers are becoming increasingly creative with their online marketing; creating apps that that will facilitate shoppers on Black Friday, offering incentives to customers who belong to their loyalty programs, and social media marketing. Last year, Target provided customers access to unlock secret doorbusters by texting a code. Macy’s app sent shoppers a new special deal every five minutes while they were in stores. These deals were not advertised anywhere else. In 2012, Walmart and Kohl’s gave their Facebook fans special deals. In 2010, Target released an original Black Friday music album online to market their upcoming Black Friday deals. Some of the top mobile apps from last year were: Walmart, Best Buy, Target, Kohl’s, Groupon and Shop Savvy.

BlackFriday.com’s app is available for both iOS and Android devices and can be downloaded here. This helpful app will bring you all the latest ads as soon as they break. You can also pin deals, find ads, and get the lowest price on everything you’ve been tracking on your wishlist.

3. Plan Ahead

Being prepared for Black Friday shopping will help you make the most out of it. Create a budget so that you can decide what you want in advance; this way you will be focused on the items and deals that you want. By using our wishlist BlackFriday.com makes it easy to access your coveted items so that you can research the best product and price.

You can also conveniently create shopping lists to help you stay organized for Black Friday. Sign up for emails, notifications and e-updates from your favorite retailers and BlackFriday.com. This will ensure that you won’t miss out on any special promotions and important information. Don’t forget to take advantage of social media for your favorite stores and download their apps as retailers like Walmart, Target and Macy’s will sometimes provide previews and store hours through their mobile apps.

BlackFriday.com is your top source for all the big Thanksgiving ad breaks and is a great tool for cross referencing products. Don’t forget to check for online coupons which sometimes can be used in addition to the discounted prices with particular retailers. Research products before hand by comparing prices and details and where they are located in the physical store so that you can be prepared on shopping day!

4. Price Matching

Price matching is a great way to ensure that you maximize the best deal. Check retailer websites and compare prices on Black Friday ads by using BlackFriday.com or the wishlist to add items to your bag.

Historically, Walmart, Best Buy and Amazon are the most aggressive with price matching and will be sure to offer the same this year. Don’t forget to read the fine print as some retailers will have restrictions. BlackFriday.com will be your source on all price matching policies for 2014 Black Friday so be sure to check back often. Some of the great price matching deals we saw last year were:

• Apple TV – Best Buy matched $85
• Call of Duty – Best Buy matched $44.99
• Beats Solo HD ON-Ear Headphone Best Buy matched $179.99
• Canon Powe3rShot A1400 16.0 MP Digital Camera Office Max matched $69.99
• Roku 2 Streaming Player Radio Shack matched $58

5. Remember

With so many deals being offered, we want to help you make the most out of your Black Friday shopping. Here are a few more things to remember:

• Only shop the deals: with so many items and promotions it can be easy to get distracted. Focus on the items you want and use the tools available (BlackFriday.com wishlist, shopping list, ad scans) to find the best deals around. If you have a budget; shop only the deals so as not to get side-tracked.
• Dress appropriately: if you’re shopping in the stores make sure to dress comfortably for the occasion (layers work best)!
• Park smart: be mindful of the crowds and courteous. Remember everyone is looking for the best deals!
• If possible, arrange a group of people to go shopping on Black Friday. If you strategize with people going to different stores more ground can be covered.

Black Friday by the Numbers

As one of the busiest shopping days of the year, Black Friday has attracted shoppers that are willing to brave the lines for the best deals on some of the most coveted holiday items. According to the National Retail Federation’s holiday survey the number of shoppers that visited brick and mortar stores and online websites over the entire Thanksgiving weekend (Thursday to Sunday) in 2013 was 141 million with 45 million on Thanksgiving day and 92 million shoppers on Black Friday.

In 2012, there were 139 million shoppers during the Thanksgiving weekend with 35 million shoppers on Thanksgiving day and 89 million shoppers on Black Friday alone.

The National Retail Federation calculated consumer spending over Thanksgiving weekend in 2013 at $57.4 billion with the average shopper spending $407.

The overall spending in 2012 was reported higher at $59 billion and the average shopper spent $423.

In 2011, total consumer spending was at $52.4 billion which was up from the $45 billion recorded in 2010 with the average consumer spending $398 in 2011 and $365 in 2010.  

In 2013, Walmart reported 22 million shoppers in stores during a 4 hour period on Thanksgiving night. Last year, actual foot traffic on Thanksgiving and Black Friday was recorded at 1.07 billion store visits according to ShopperTrak with 31.8% traffic just on Thanksgiving day alone (an increase of 27% from 2012).

Online spending has been on the rise over the past few years and the numbers from comScore’s data reflect the continued growth. During just Black Friday alone online sales was recorded at $1.198 billion (a 15% increase from 2012) and Thanksgiving sales online reached $766 million (a 21% increase from 2012). ComScore reported Black Friday 2012 at $1.042 billion and Thanksgiving day 2012 at $633 million.

On Black Friday 2011 consumers spent $816 million online and $479 million on Thanksgiving day. In 2010, Black Friday had spending at $648 million and Thanksgiving day at $407 million which increased from $595 million on Black Friday 2009 and $318 million on Thanksgiving day in 2009.

Online traffic growth (unique visitors) shows the top retailers vying for Black Friday shoppers’ attention with the top online sites in order of popularity being: Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Target and Apple. ComScore reported unique visitors on Black Friday 2013 to the top visited online retailers: Amazon had 7.7 million unique visitors, Walmart at 3.5 million, Best Buy at 2.75 million, Target at 2.25 million and Apple at 1.5 million.

Black Friday Top Category Trends by Year

BlackFriday.com has been bringing you all the best deals and promotions for Black Friday since 2006. Not only do we announce the latest ad scans and promotions, we point out the best deals so that you can access all your Black Friday information in one place.

Top product categories that perform well on Black Friday are usually electronics and toys but we've included other popular categories like clothing & apparel and home goods & appliances.

We’ve taken a look at the past years and highlighted some of the most favored items and best deals we’ve seen in these top categories.

Electronics

Electronics has always been one of the top categories with Black Friday shoppers. According to the National Retail Federation, 39% of purchases made during Black Friday fell in the electronics category with over 1500 promotions solely dedicated to this category. Clothing and accessories followed with toys, video games and books closely after.

The electronics category covers: gaming consoles, TVs, laptops, smartphones, tablets, cameras, Blu-Ray, streaming devices and accessories. Here is a further breakdown of these popular electronic items over the years.

2013 TVs

The demand for flat screen televisions has not slowed down especially since new technologies like 3D and curved televisions have been introduced which allow mid-size and previous generation models to be marked down even further. Popular brands that consumers will be looking for include: Samsung, Panasonic, LG, Sony, Vizio and Sharp. A few of the amazing deals we saw last year for TVs:

• Walmart: Vizio E701i-A3E 70” 120 Hz 1080p Smart LED HDTV $998 (retail $1478)
• Walmart: LG 50” Widescreen HDTV $448 (retail $598)
• Walmart: Samsung 40" Class LED 1080p 60Hz HDTV, (3.7" Ultra-Slim) UN40EH5300 Smart TV $397.00 (retail $729.99)
• Target: Element 50” 1080p Widescreen LED LCD HDTV $229 (retail $500)
• Best Buy: Samsung 65” 120Hz 1080p LED HDTV $1000 (retail $1249)
• Amazon: Vizio 55” smart HDTV $479 (retail $775)
• Sears: Seiko 50" Class LED HDTV For $721.99 (retail $1299.99)
• Samsung 51" Class Plasma 4500 Series TV $429.99 (retail $849.99)
• Radio Shack: Apex LED 32" HDTV with Built-in DVD Player For 199.97
• Sam’s Club offered $150 savings for the Vizio TV at $498

2012 TVs

The best discounts for televisions were seen on the mid-size models once again. This included 40-47” screens and 3D TVs. Dell was offering a 55” Samsung HDTV for under $880! Dell flash sales (limited time offers) offered Dell laptop with free shipping $349.99 (available for only 4 hours). Other amazing 2012 television deals included:

• Walmart: Samsung 43” Plasma HDTV $348 (retail $500), Samsung 51” Plasma LCD HDTV $478 (retail $650)
• Best Buy offered 40” Toshiba LCD TV $179.99 (retail $350)
• Target doorbuster Westinghouse 50" LCD TV 1080p for $349
• Target $147 for the Apex 32" Class LCD HDTV (save $100)
• Sears had a 32" LCD HDTV for only $97, the cheapest 32" HDTV seen in 2012 Black Friday
• Dell $400 off LG 50PA5500 50" 1080p Plasma HDTV $599.99 with free shipping
• Dell offered $130 off Samsung Series 5 40” 1080p LED Smart HDTV $599.99 with free shipping and $100 eGift Card

2011 TVs

• Awesome deals on 42” 720p Plasma sets (under $300) with larger screen sets discounted up to 50% 
• 3D TVs discounted up to 35% bundled with items like an extra pair of 3D goggles
• Samsung 32” and 55” LCD televisions were the second and third most popular items

2010 TVs

• Walmart: Emerson 32” LCD HDTV $198 (retail $328)
• Target: Westinghouse 40” LCD TV $298 (retail $549.99)
• Popular brands: Sony HDTV, Samsung 3D TVs and Vizio LCD HDTV

2009 TVs

• Walmart and Best Buy offered best flat screen HDTV deals
• Walmart Emerson 42″ 720p Plasma HDTV at $448
• Walmart Sanyo 50″ Plasma HDTV for $598
• Best Buy Samsung 42″ 720p 600Hz Plasma HDTV $547.99
• Best Buy most competitive pricing undercutting its competitors by as little as $.01 in order to have the lowest price
• Best Buy offered 41-51% off Sony HDTVs
• Dell Sharp 42″ 1080p LCD HDTV $599 (retail $899)

2008 TVs

• Walmart: Emerson 32” LCD HDTV  $388
• Walmart: Samsung 50” 720 Plasma HDTV $798

2013 Gaming consoles & video games

The most popular gaming consoles were the Sony PS3 and Microsoft Xbox 360. We saw bundles priced as low as $399 with Xbox 360 and PS3 bundles for $149. With the PS4 and Xbox One releases we saw these two models drop only slightly in price. Amazon was selling the PlayStation Vita with 4 games at only $174.99. Toys R Us is undeniably one of the best retailers for toys and games and will often have a buy one get the second video game with an additional 40-50% off. Other great deals from 2013 were seen at GameStop where they offered a PlayStation Plus one year membership for $30 (retail $50). Here are some highlights of the best deals we saw in 2013:

• Walmart: Call of Duty $49 (retail $59), other select PS4 and Xbox One games for under $50
• Best Buy: Grand Theft Auto V For PS3 & Xbox 360 Now $33.9 (retail $59.99)
• Best Buy: The Walking Dead First Season for PS Vita $15 (retail $25)
• Amazon sold Borderlands 2 and Borderlands Game of the Year Pack $11.99 (retail $69.98)
• Toys R Us offered 50% off any Xbox 360 or PS3 game with purchase of Call of Duty: Ghosts
• Toys R Us: Assassin's Creed IV or Batman: Arkham Origins on Xbox 360 or PS3 $59.99 (retail $69.99), select PS4 and Xbox One Video Games such as Call of Duty: Ghosts, NBA 2K14 and Battlefield 4 for $49 (retail $59.96)
• GameStop: World of Warcraft: Mist of Pandaria Collector’s Edition - $39.99 (retail $79.99)

2012 Gaming consoles & video games

Top video game consoles in 2012 were the Nintendo Wii U ($299-$349) and PS3. The Nintendo Wii U was a highly coveted item during this year since it was launched just five days before Black Friday.  Walmart had PS3 bundles discounted down to $200-259 (retail $350).

• Nintendo Wii U 8GB $299, 32GB $349
• Best Buy Microsoft Xbox 360 250GB Holiday Bundle-$199.99
• Origin game deals: Medal of Honor Warfighter (PC Download) $29.99 (retail $59.99), Madden NFL 13 (Xbox 360) $29.99 (retail $59.99), NHL 13 for PS3 for $29.99 (retail $59.99)
• Most popular games of 2012: Halo 2 & 4, Modern Warfare, Black Ops 4 and Skylanders Giants
• Dell: Microsoft Halo 4 for Xbox 360 $59.99 with $20 Dell Gift Card

2011 Gaming consoles & video games

• Kinect, Nintendo Wii, Xbox, Play Station 3, Nintendo DS
• Bundles with games at Walmart, GameStop
• Popular games for Xbox 360 & PS3 of 2011 were: Gears of War 3 Xbox 360, Call of Duty, Assassin’s Creed, Legend of Zelda, Battlefield 3, FIFA 12, WWE 12, Final Fantasy XIII, Batman: Arkham City, NHL 12

2010 Gaming consoles & video games

• Microsoft Xbox 360 Kinect (launched November 2010)
• Xbox Kinect sold over 2.5 million units
• Call of Duty: Black Ops (bestselling game in history for its launch month selling 8.4 million units)
• Top 5 games sold during 2010 Black Friday: Call of Duty: Black Ops (Xbox, PS3, Wii, NDS, PC), Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood (Xbox, PS3), Just Dance 2 (Wii), Madden NFL 11 (Xbox, PS3, Wii, PS2, PSP), Fable III (Xbox)

2009 Gaming consoles & video games

• Walmart Xbox 360 Arcade $199 with $100 Walmart gift card
• Walmart Black Friday Game deals: 50 titles for $7, 40 titles at $10 (beating Toys R US 50% off)
• Toys R Us: Halo 3 ODST $34.99 (retail $59.99), Wired Guitar Hero Controller $9.99, Need for Speed: Shift $34.99 (retail $59.99), Forza 3 $34.99 (retail $59.99), Need for Speed: Shift $34.99 (retail $59.99), iCarly $23.99 (retail 39.99)
• Toys R Us Game Deals (many are 5 a.m. doorbuster deals)
• Best Buy $50 gift card with Xbox Purchase
• Walmart $50 gift card on an Xbox Elite purchase
• Popular Games of 2009: PS3 (Need for Speed: Undercover and The Godfather II), Wii (Carnival Games, Tak and the Guardians of Gross, and Big Beach Sport), Xbox (Grand Theft Auto IV, and Midnight Club: Los Angeles)

2013 Tablets

Tablets were the clear front runner in popularity and deals during 2013 Black Friday. Walmart sold 1.4 million tablets on Thanksgiving day alone according to the Consumer Electronics Association. With the iPad Air release, many retailers like Walmart, Target and Best Buy were offering tablets with a gift card as an incentive.

Apple iPads were hot selling items at both Walmart and Target on Black Friday according to a sample taken by InfoScout. Best Buy’s hot seller was the Microsoft Surface 32GB tablet on Thanksgiving followed by the iPad 2. Although Apple tablets were popular, Microsoft Surface 2 had a great promotion and could be purchased for under $200 where the retail price started at $300.

• Walmart: iPad Air $479 ($20 off original Apple price)
• Walmart: iPad Mini 16GB Wi-Fi Tablet with $100 gift card for $299
• Target iPad Air 16GB Wi-Fi Tablet with $100 gift card for $479
• Kindle Fire HD 7” $99.99
• Apple iPad Air with $75 Apple Gift Card from $499
• Micro Center Surface RT and a Touch Cover for $179

Comparison of Walmart, Best Buy and Target 2013 Apple tablets and smartphones:

2012 Tablets

The most popular tablets of 2012 were: Google Nexus 7, Amazon Kindle Fire HD, iPad. This was the year that Apple launched the iPad Mini which translated to being a hot commodity in the tablet category. As usual, discounts from Apple were minimal and not the most competitive: Apple iPad Air offered $75 Apple Gift Card from $499. Third party retailers like Walmart, Target, Best Buy and MacMall offered better incentives and deeper discounts. For example, Walmart offered a gift card with the purchase of an iPad 4, same with Best Buy and Target.

• Walmart: iPad 2 16GB & Wi-Fi $399 with $75 gift card
• Best Buy offered gift card with Kindle Fire HD
• Best Buy offered $60 off iPads vs. Apple $41 off
• $50 off Nook Simple Touch at Target
• Free $60 Target Gift Card with the purchase of any iPad
• Target $49 Nook Simple Touch eReader (save $50)
• Apple Store Black Friday Sale: $150 gift card with purchase
• MacMall Samsung Galaxy Tab Tablet $269.99 (save $130)

2011 Tablets

• Zoom, iPad 2, Amazon Kindle
• Apple reduced iPad by about $40 with free shipping on orders over $50
• Amazon Kindle
• Barnes & Noble’s Nook Color

2010 Tablets

• iPad
• Amazon Kindle
• Best Buy: Nook Wi-Fi eReader $99.99 (retail $149.99)

2013 Laptops

Although laptops were not the top selling electronics there were still many great deals on various models. One of the best deals last year was offered by Best Buy: Toshiba Satellite 15.4” laptop for $379.99 (retail $650).

Retailers like Radio Shack and Tiger Direct had some competitive prices on various laptop models. The Asus X401 laptop was selling at $249 from Radio Shack which was 75% off the regular retail price! Tiger Direct offered the HP ProBook 4545s 15.6” Notebook for $529.99 (retail $629.99). Key retailers to research for laptop deals would be Walmart, Best Buy, Amazon, MacMall and manufacturer’s like Lenovo, Sony, Samsung and Dell. In 2013, Lenovo offered their IdeaPad Y410 14” high-performance multimedia laptop for only $779 (retail $1,249).

MacMall offers some of the most competitive pricing on MacBooks and is always a great source for discounted Apple laptops. In 2013, they offered the Apple 13.3” MacBook Pro 8GB RAM with free shipping for $1669.99 (retail $2199) and the Apple 15.4” MacBook Pro 16GB RAM with free shipping for $2499.99 (retail $3049).

2012 Laptops

One of the best promotions in 2012 were the Dell Flash sales where some laptops were available for under $299. The Dell Inspirion 14” was only $299 with a savings of $300 from the $599 retail price.

Best Buy is also another great stop for great deals on the more current models and did not disappoint in 2012 when they offered $200 off the MacBook Air. MacMall is always a great stop for Apple products as they usually always carry stock and offer discounts deeper than the ones offered by Apple directly. 2012 proved no different when they offered $200 off various MacBook models. The 15.4" MacBook Pro quad-core Intel Core i7 2.4GHz, 4GB & 750GB HD was selling for $1,749.99 (retail $2,199).

Staples, Radio Shack and Office Depot are also great retailers to keep an eye out for some amazing deals. Office Depot offered the HP 17.3” laptop with Pentium processor for $350 (retail $550). Be sure to check manufacturers’ like HP and Dell who will sometimes offer free shipping and considerable discounts on their products. 2012 saw HP offering up to 75% off on select items with free shipping and their extended return policy.

2011 Laptops

• OfficeMax featured Black Friday deals every Friday from Nov. 11 – Dev. 16
• Toshiba L755-S5353 laptop featuring an Intel Pentium B950 processor, 500GB hard drive and 4GB system memory $369.99

2010 Laptops

• Dell Inspiron Mini 1018 10.1” Netbook
• HP Mini Netbook

2009 Laptops

• Best Buy offering at $349
• Dell’s mini laptops $349-499
• Lenovo’s Thinkpad Laptops most are 15% off
• HP is offered $250 cash back and about $300 in free upgrades on their Elite Pavilion
• Average laptop Black Friday 2009 price $475 vs. $638 in 2008
• 2008 Laptops: HP Notebook with free Canon 3-in-1 printer: Best Buy $349.98

2013 Smartphones

Smartphones are always great gifts and Black Friday never fails to offer some amazing deals. Popular models for 2013 included: HTC One, Nokia Lumia, MAXX, Droid Ultra and Moto X Motorola phones, Samsung Galaxy S3 & S4, iPhone 5c & 5s. Best Buy exclusively offered the Electric Blue Galaxy S5 for $99 or the S4 4G model for free by signing a contract. A few other hot promotions we saw for smartphones in 2013 included:

• Sprint & Verizon offered the iPhone 5c 16GB for only $48
• Radio Shack: Samsung Galaxy S4 Phone with 2 year contract $49.99 (retail $199.99)
• Radio Shack: iPhone 4 8GB Prepaid Phone for Virgin Mobile for $100

2012 Smartphones

In 2012 the older iPhone models, Samsung Galaxy S3 (saw as low as $49.99 retail $199.99), Motorola Android were the top purchased smartphones.  Another great deal during 2012 Black Friday was the iPhone 4 8GB prepaid phone for Virgin Mobile for just $100.

2011 Smartphones

• iPhone 4, Android, Galaxy Nexus, Evo 4G
• Wirefly & AT&T offered phones as low as free the day after Black Friday (on contract only)

2010 Smartphones

• iPhone 4, HTC Droids
• HTC Droid Incredible: Verizon Wireless (anticipated Android 2.2 phone from HTC for Verizon Wireless)

2013 Other popular electronics

Camera, electronic accessories, Blu-ray and streaming devices also receive notable mentions for being purchased in the electronics category. Look out for bundles that offer additional accessories for free.  Some of 2013 best Black Friday deals were:

• Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 iii Telephoto Zoom Lens $50 (retail $199.99)
• Nikon Coolpix L820 16MP Digital Camera with fee 8GB SDHC Card & Case $199.99 (retail $229.99)
• Beats by Dre Solo HD $99.99
• Apple TV $80
• Blu-ray players from $35
• Amazon Fire TV $80
• Roku (streaming player) Amazon Roku 2 1080p Wi-Fi Media Player for $58
• Walmart Google Chromecast Streaming Media Player for $30
• Canon PowerShot SX40 HS 5251B001 Black 12.1 MP 35X Optical Zoom 24mm Wide Angle Digital Camera $349.00 (retail $499.99)
• Target Nikon S01 10.1MP Digital Camera with Clutch Case $99.99 (retail $249.99)
• Amazon: 46% off Canon digital cameras

2012 Other popular electronics

• LG Blu-ray seen as low as $38 at Walmart
• Camcorders, HD capable (Flip Video Sony for under $100), compact versions seen as low as $49
• Walmart Nikon D3100 14.2MP DSLR Camera Value Bundle $499.00
• DVDs and Blu-ray: Planet of the Apes, Homeland, Lord of the Rings
• Target Nikon L310 Digital Camera at 50% off for $99.99
• Target $99.99 Nikon L310 Digital Camera (save $100)
• MacMall Sony 3D Blu-Ray Disc Player $59.99 (save $140)

2011 Other popular electronics

• Camcorders, Digital cameras, HD-capable camcorders : models by Flip Video and Sony for under $100, and compact versions starting at around $49
• Canon, Kodak and Nikon
• Digital camera doorbuster sales were immensely popular, as were sales for both the Canon EOS Rebel T2i and the Canon Powershot SD1400 IS Point and Shoot
• iPod and iPod accessories

2010/2009 Other popular electronics

• Canon Digital Camera
• Flip Video Camcorder
• Sony Blu-ray $148
• Walmart Magnavox Blu-Ray Disc Player for $78 (retail $160)
• Walmart Tom Tom 3.5″ GPS for $59
• Best Busy $70-140 off GPS devices
• Walmart: 90 DVD titles (Lord of the Rings, Ice Age) for $1.96

Top toys

2013 Popular toys

Last year was another great year of amazing deals and promotions with some of the top retailers like Walmart, Toys R Us and Amazon vying for shoppers with competitive prices. 

Toys are always a strong contender with Black Friday shoppers and last year proved to be no exception. Elmo Live, FurReal Friends, Doc McStuffins, Pillow Pets, LEGO, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Fisher-Price, LeapFrog LeapPads, and Despicable Me were some of the hot ticket items.  Some other great deals we saw in this category were:

Walmart

• Fisher Price Power Wheels Barbie Jeep $100 off regular retail price
• Board games as low as $4.88
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Secret Sewer Lair Playset $79.77 (retail $99.97)
• Flutterbye Flying Fairy Doll $27.88 (retail $34.97)
• Razor Trikke E2 $198 (retail $229)
• Roboraptor $59.99 (retail $79.99)

Amazon

• Furby Diagonal Stripes Boom $49.99 (retail $64.99)
• Skylander’s SWAP Force Starter Pack for Nintendo Wii$64.99 (retail $74.99)
• LEGO Kings Castle $84.30 (retail $99.99)
• LeapPad 2 for $39.99 (retail $79)
• 50% off Fisher-Price

Toys R Us

• Pillow Pets:  Buy one get one free
• LEGO Star Wars Gold Leader’s Y-Wing Starfighter $35 (MSRP $49.99)
• Offered $10 to spend with purchases over $75
• Furby $29.99
• LeapFrog LeapPad 2 Explorer $39.99

2012 Popular toys

• Popular toys included:  Barbie Holiday 2012 Collector Doll, Wii U, LeapFrog LeapPad2, The Furby, LEGO, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price toys, Playskool Sesame Street Flying Super Grover 2.0, Toytots, Furby, Monster and My Magical Wand Cinderella
• Top toy retailers offering best discounts were Walmart, Target, Amazon and Toys R Us
• 25% Off FurReal Friends at Kmart
• Kmart $5 Off any Fisher-Price toy purchase of $25 or more
• Kmart $10 off Easy-Bake Ultimate Oven

2011 Toys

• LeapFrog Leapster Explorer (retail $69.99), Monster High dolls and accessories (from $10), Barbie Doggie Water Park (retail $25), My Pillow Pets from $15.99, Justin Bieber doll (retail $24.99)
• Squinkies, Angry Birds Board Game were some must-have toys of 2011

2010 Toys

• Zhu Zhu pets, Pillow pets, Disney Tangled toys, Beyblades, Ultimate Buzz Lightyear
• Mattel’s Mindflex game
• Paper Jamz

2009 toys

• Barbie Power Wheels Ride-On $88 Walmart (retail $95)
• Zhu Zhu Pets Walmart $4 (retail $7)
• Some of the most amazing deals were seen at Walmart: game deals under $10, Toys R Us and their amazing doorbusters

2008 Toys

• Nintendo Wii ($249)
• Elmo Live $60, Spike the Ultra Dinosaur from Fisher-Price $139.99

Apparel

2013 Clothing, footwear and accessories

Clothing and footwear are one of the top categories during the holiday season and Black Friday is a great time to purchase these items.  Due to the high demand with shoppers, retailers do not disappoint with amazing promotions that usually provide site wide discounts and doorbusters. 

Cashmere and luxury items are also great finds for deep discounts.  Look to department stores like Macy’s, Kohl’s and JC Penney to offer some great deals. 

We also have seen the growing trend of consumers buying gift cards to their favorite retailers as gifts. 

2013 Black Friday saw Aeropostale offering up to 60% off items in store and free shipping on orders of $75 more online.  Levi’s usually offers 40% off the entire store for a limited time (in 2013, 40% off was offered until 10 a.m. with 30% off after 10 a.m.). A few great finds in 2013:

• American Eagle: Women’s Hi-Rise Skinny Jean $29.96 (retail $39.95)
• New York & Company: 50% Off Everything *Excludes Eva Mendes Collection, NY Deals, NY&C Great Finds, Clearance & Gift Cards
• Gap: 40% off Regular Price Styles
• New York & Company Spring Street Chambray Shirt $14.99 (retail $44.94)
• Old Navy: Women's Classic Wool-Blend Peacoats $38 (retail $64.94)
• Finish Line NCAA Hoodies: 2 For $35 + Free Shipping (retail $40 each)
• Men's Nike Free Run 5.0+ EXT Running Shoes $49.98 (retail $104.99)
• American Eagle: All Clearance Items an Additional 50% Off
• JoS A Bank: Natural Stretch 2-Button Poplin Suit $78.00 ($350.00)
• Sears: Jackets & Coats Up To 60% Off
• Kohl's: SO Suede Moccasins (Women) $18.99 ($44.99)
• Express: $10 Off $30, $30 Off $90, or $40 Off $120
• Express: Pinstripe Cotton Photographer Suit Jacket $99.00 ($198.00)
• 65% off men and women’s cashmere sweaters at Amazon

2012 Clothing, footwear and accessories

• Bloomingdale’s:  up to 50% off selected merchandise, free shipping online
• Foot Locker 15% off everything, a new deal was posted daily
• New York & Co: 50-70% off everything, free shipping
• American Eagle 40% off entire purchase, free shipping
• Express: 50% off everything, accessories Buy one get one 50% off
• Macy’s one day sale with many prices over 50% off, cashmere sweaters with extra 15% off plus free shipping
• DKNY Coat, Faux fur trim hooded belted puffer $134.99 (retail $275)
• JC Penney:  Worthington Belted Military Coat $50 (retail $70)
• Sears:  Laura Scott Women's Nancy Fashion Boot $27.99 (retail $69.99)

2011 Clothing, footwear and accessories

• Black Air Jordon Cement 3s, Black Air Yeezy 2, Black Tim Duncan’s, Victoria’s Secret, The North Face, Polo Ralph Lauren

2010 Clothing, footwear and accessories

• Rock & Republic shoes, Vans Shoes, Nine West Shoes, Calvin Klein
• High end fashion retailers:  Macy’s, JC Penney, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Gucci and Armani

2009 Clothing, footwear and accessories

• Walmart Kids’ licensed character sleepwear $3
• $7 fleece reversible jackets Walmart
• Gap had up to 40% off winter clothes
• JC Penney offered 50% off express shipping online and in store deals for jewelry, small gadgets and 50-60% off select clothing

Home goods and appliances

2013 Home goods and appliances

Big ticket items are always a great choice for Black Friday shoppers. Home appliances purchased from retailers like Kmart, Sears, Home Depot and Lowe’s will offer substantial discounts especially on large appliances with friendly options like ordering on line and picking up from the store.

Popular home good items like Kitchen Aid mixers, Dyson vacuums, cookware sets and even small appliances like waffle makers were popular items that shoppers were able to save money on Black Friday in 2013.  Retailers like QVC and Overstock offer great deals on small appliances so if you need to ramp up your kitchen game be sure to check their deals for Black Friday. 

In 2013, sold the Dyson DC24 All-Floor Ball Vacuum Cleaner at $259. Home Depot had the Amana 5-Cu. Ft. Gas Range with Self-Cleaning Oven for $393. Lowe’s offered the Samsung HE Front Load Washer or Electric Dryer for $549. Other great deals we found:

• Bon-Ton Corning Ware 10-Piece French Bake ware Set $25
• QVC Technique 1.5 qt. Stainless Steel Fondue Set with 6 Forks $27.84 (retail $49.00)
• Bon-Ton Farberware Soft Grip 15-pc. Cutlery Set $59.99 (retail $150)
• Overstock: Keurig B130 DeskPro Coffee Maker $66.99 (retail $149.99)

2012 Home goods and appliances

• Sears Samsung 25 cu. ft. French-Door Refrigerator $1,899.99 (retail $3,199.99)

2011 Home goods and appliances

• Walmart & Target offered budget priced appliances

2010 Home goods and appliances

• Target: Select appliances for $3 (retail $20)

2009 Home goods and appliances

• Best Buy offered $100-$500 gift cards with select GE home appliance purchases
• Home Depot offered up to $1,000 cash back offers for appliance purchases, 20% off rugs and laminate flooring, and 30-50% off lighting and ceiling fans

Popular Apple products

Apple products are popular among many shoppers with the iPhone and iPad being top contenders in 2013. Last year Apple offered 10% off some items (iMac, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iTouch) and free shipping with 9% off iPods and their best deals were on accessories like iPad cases.

In 2012, we saw Apple drop the iPad by $41, iPod touch 4^th Generation reduced by $21, iPad 2 had a $31 savings and the MacBook Pro was available for $100 less than its usual retail price. Although discounts through Apple are not always substantial, shoppers can find better deals with third party retailers like Walmart, Target and MacMall who offer some of the best deals on Apple products.

During 2013 Black Friday, Walmart offered the iPhone 5s for $189 on contract with a $75 gift card. AT&T was selling the iPhone 5s for $99 on contract where Radio Shack offered the same model for $200 on contract with a $50 Visa gift card included.  The iPhone 5c was only $48 at Best Buy. The iPad Air was selling for $449.99 at Best Buy and Target sold it for $479 including a $100 gift card. In 2013, Best Buy had some great promotions off MacBooks offering as much as $200 off the regular retail price. Target had the iPad 4 at $449 with a $100 gift card while Staples offered the same model for $349. Target was selling the iPad Mini 2 $399.99 with $75 gift card

MacMall is a great source for Apple deals and will carry stock whereas the same item may not always be available with Apple. For Apple products, MacMall is probably the most competitive. Last year’s prices for the MacBook Air 11” 4GB ranged from: Amazon $839.99, MacMall $829.34, B&H $839.99+, Best Buy $899.99, and Adorama $839. 

Comparison of MacMall and Apple

Gift cards

Gift cards are always a popular gift and 2013 proved that.  Retailers like, Walmart, Target and Apple offered store gift cards as an additional incentive with their deals. Target gave $100 gift card with every iPad $479 (retail $499). 

According to the National Retail Federation about 29.6% of purchases were gift cards during the Thanksgiving and Black Friday shopping period.  Holiday shoppers spent an average of $163.16 on gift cards in 2013 (up 4% from 2012).  This would be the highest amount in the survey’s 11 year history. 

We saw an increase in gift card purchases through online merchants in 2012 with the most popular being department stores and restaurants.  According to the National Retail Federation 32.6% of shoppers purchased gift cards over Black Friday weekend in 2012 versus 23.1% purchased in 2011.

Jewelry

Jewelry is a growing category and the year over year trend supports this.  During 2013 Black Friday 16.9% of shoppers purchased jewelry items according to The National Retail Federation. 

In 2010 the reported the number of people who purchased jewelry was at 14.3% and 11.7% in 2009.  In the past few years we continue to see Black Friday promotions and deals with retailers offering some great savings. 

This trend is expected to continue with retailers (department stores and jewelry retailers like Zales, Effy Jewelry) offering some great discounts in this category.

Cyber Monday

Shop.org (a division of the National Retail Federation) executives came up with the idea for “Cyber Monday” even though the Monday after Thanksgiving historically never saw any spikes in online sales (peak days are actually between December 5^th -15^th).  As a marketing term coined by Shop.org in a 2005 press release, “Cyber Monday Quickly Becoming One of the Biggest Online Shopping Days of the Year,” the term was created to capitalise on the success of Black Friday and persuade people to shop online. 

In 2005, retailers began bringing deals to online shoppers three days after Black Friday. 

In 2008, nearly 84% of online retailers participated in Cyber Monday promotions. Cyber Monday started small in 2005 with less than 50% participation but the popularity has grown dramatically as seen in that nearly all online retailers now have Cyber Monday promotions. 

In 2010, Cyber Monday became the top online spending day in terms of sales revenue. 

In 2013, sales were recorded at $1.735 billion which was up 18% from 2012. Cyber Monday sales have increased by at least 100 million dollars each year since 2005 and every year has seen an increase in the amount of products sold.  While these amounts have varied from year to year, no year-over-year increase has been less than 100 million dollars.

Online Sales for Cyber Monday – Cyber Monday Growth Rate

Source: Adobe - based on analysis of nearly 900 million visits to 2000 retailers’ websites on Cyber Monday

Some of the most popular sites on Cyber Monday are:  Walmart, Best Buy, Target, Amazon, Kohl’s, Macy’s, Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Levi’s. In 2013, New York took the top spot for total online retail sales on Cyber Monday, followed by Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Chicago and Atlanta according to IBM Digital Analytics Benchmark. 

Popular categories on Cyber Monday are similar to Black Friday with department stores and apparel leading the way.  Cyber Monday total online department store sales grew by 70.3% percent over 2012. Mobile sales rose 52% percent year over year and the average order value was $161.83 an increase of 18.7% from 2012.  Total online apparel sales for Cyber Monday 2013 grew by 22.5% over 2012, with mobile sales growing by 58.3% year over year. The average order value was $102.83, a decrease of 6.9% from 2012.

Just as with Black Friday, many retailers launch Cyber Monday sales in advance.  Walmart, Target and Amazon all launched Cyber Monday sales that looked more like Cyber Week in 2013.  Blue Nile kicked off Extraordinary Days of Christmas promotion on Cyber Monday with new discounts being offered each day for 12 days along with a Facebook giveaway. 

Interestingly enough, most traffic on Cyber Monday came from work computers and according to comScore, nearly half of dollars spent online on US websites on Cyber Monday originated from work computers (49.2% up 2.1% from 2012).   Cyber Monday sales peaked between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. Eastern Time, with sales in that hour alone totalling $150 million (Source: Adobe).

Mobile use has also impacted Cyber Monday with consumers purchasing more from their smartphones and tablets.  According to Adobe Digital Index, smartphones and tablets drove $419 million in online sales on Cyber Monday in 2013.  Tablets drove 11.7% of all online sales; more than double that of smartphones, which accounted for 5.5%. On average, tablet users spent $126.30 per order compared to smartphone users who spent $106.49. 

Mobile (smartphones and tablets) traffic on Cyber Monday sat at about 32% of all online traffic which was a sharp increase of 45% compared with those who used mobile devices in 2012.  Smartphones drove 19.7% of all online traffic compared to tablets at 11.5%, making it the browsing device of choice. We anticipate Cyber Monday to surpass last year’s revenue and show continued growth in retailers offering deals in advance.

Black Friday News

2013

• Walmart popular item in store was a towel that cost $0.29.  2.8 million towels were sold and caused fights in multiple locations. This inspired the hashtag, #WalmartFights, which was seen all over social media sites like Twitter and Instagram
• Over the past seven Black Fridays  to date there have been a total of 7 deaths and 90 injuries

2012

• 4,000 Walmart stores that will have extra security measures on Black Friday
• Walmart two people were shot in Tallahassee, FL – fighting over a parking space

2011

• Joni Crothers and 16 of her friends and family donated $10,000 worth of gifts which they bought for only $2,000 in Ohio
• At a Walmart in Los Angeles, a woman pepper-sprayed a crowd

2010

• 21 year old woman waiting outside Toys R Us in Madison, WI pulled a gun on shoppers
• A Walmart in Sacramento was forced to evacuate due to overcrowding

2009

• Edward Burbo and Jennifer Dykstra met in line six years prior officially tied the knot on Thanksgiving night

2008

• 34 year old seasonal employee, Jdimytai Damour, died from asphyxiation after 2,000 shoppers stampeded through doors at 5 a.m. at a Walmart in Long Island, NY
• Toys R Us in Palm Desert, CA:  two women had a dispute and their male friends joined with handguns; eventually shot each other to death by the cash register (Walmart released a statement that although the shoppers’ death arose as result of     a dispute on Black Friday, it would be “inaccurate to associate the events with Black Friday”).

History of Black Friday

The day after Thanksgiving is known as Black Friday the unofficial or official start of the holiday shopping season.  Well known for doorbusters and early bird specials to attract consumers to their stores, Black Friday has become a phenomenon in its own right! 

Generally it is one of the top six or seven days of years for store sales but it is actually not the biggest day of revenue for retailers which is in fact a couple days before Christmas.  Nonetheless, a large amount of revenue is produced typically between $15-20 billion.  In terms of customer traffic, Black Friday is without a doubt the busiest day of the year with well over 200 million shoppers shopping both in stores and online during Thanksgiving and Black Friday weekend.

Common myths related to Black Friday was that the term was coined from the stock market crash in late 1929 while others have established the connection of retailers “getting in the black” for recording gains in their revenue. 

The term Black Friday was actually coined dating back to Philadelphia in the mid-1960s (some say 1966).  The Friday between Thanksgiving and the traditional Army-Navy football game in Philadelphia played on the following Saturday and as busy as it was for retailers; the traffic jams, overcrowding became a pain for police, cabs, anyone who had to negotiate the city streets.  The police department coined the phrase to describe the annual day of commercial mayhem as Black Friday (Source: Chicago Tribune).

In 1939, the Retail Dry Goods Association warned Franklin Roosevelt that if holiday season wouldn’t begin until after Americans celebrated Thanksgiving on the traditional final Thursday in November, retail sales would drop considerably.  Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving up by a week and the announcement made late October where most Americans had already made holiday travel plans and many rebelled and continued to celebrate on the “real” date. 

During this period many referred to Thanksgiving as “Franksgiving.”  By 1941, Congress passed a law that made Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday in November regardless of how it affected the shopping day that is now known as Black Friday. 

During the 1930s, the Friday after Thanksgiving became the official start of Christmas shopping season among majority of retailers.  New York City’s big department stores embraced idea as marketing gimmick in early 20^th century, staging events, releasing Christmas ads, and hosting parades – most notably Macy’s annual blowout parade which debuted in 1924.