Black Friday has spread way beyond one day; here’s what you need to know

You’ve seen the TV commercials promising “Black Friday prices now!” for the last couple of weeks and online retailers have bombarded your email inbox with special deals and free holiday shipping since September.

With the Black Friday retail frenzy spreading far beyond the day after Thanksgiving, is there a reason to get up and out of the house in the cold and dark Friday morning? Maybe not – because in some cases, Friday morning may be too late for the really great deals.

Many large retailers open doors to shoppers and begin their Black Friday sales Thursday evening. Likewise, Wal-Mart is moving the start of its “cyber Monday deals” to Friday.

But some folks like to see and touch their purchases, and some like the adventure and social aspect of Black Friday shopping. If you’re one of those people, note that the very best “door buster” deals start Thursday evening: Target stores open at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day and stay open through 11 p.m. Friday. Sears also opens at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving but closes at midnight to restock and open again at 5 a.m. on Friday. Wal-Mart’s 24-hour stores are already open on Thanksgiving.

What everyone wants

The one toy that’s sold out nearly everywhere is the Hatchimal, an interactive plush toy that hatches from an eggshell and then can learn to talk, walk and play with its new owner. Hatchimals are listed at $50 to $60 but some now sell for hundreds of dollars at online auction sites like eBay. Hatchimal’s website promises a new shipment as quickly as possible – after New Years.

In the impossible-to-find electronics department, it’s the Nintendo Entertainment System Classic – a retro-looking game console loaded with 30 of Nintendo’s most popular games. The Classic is listed on Nintendo’s website for $59.95, but it’s out of stock pretty much everywhere. You can find it through resellers via online sites like Walmart and Amazon, but prepare for sticker shock – it can sell for up to $500.

Electronics

are always king

TVs and laptops are going at very low prices on Black Friday and it’s definitely worth comparing prices at a few stores before you head out.

Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Target and Shopko all feature electronics deals, as do online retailers like Amazon and Newegg.

Locally, Huppin’s TV, Audio and Camera store at 8016 N. Division St., launched its Black Friday sales last week, said sales manager Dale Ehrmantrout, Jr.

“On Friday we have a 65-inch smart TV at $799 that’s going to be a killer deal,” Ehrmantrout said.

Customers are buying cameras, headphones and “anything Bluetooth and wireless” Ehrmantrout said.

Huppin’s is resisting the Thanksgiving creep; the store is closed on the holiday and opens at 8 a.m. on Black Friday.

Apple is teasing to a Black Friday shopping event at its stores but not saying anything beyond “come back for a one-day shopping event on Friday” – so it better be good.

The website Macrumors.com has sorted through all the sales and lists these deals on Mac products: iPhones come with up to $250 store credit giftcards at Best Buy, Target and Wal-Mart. Some of these deals are already available. T-Mobile offers a free iPhone 7 or 7 Plus with the trade-in of an eligible older phone. According to Macrumors, Kohl’s is planning on giving $105 in Kohl’s cash to customers who purchase an Apple Watch Series 2 on Black Friday but stock is limited and selection varies by store. And finally, Best Buy is discounting MacBook Air 13-inch 2015 models by $200 selling the 128 GB version for $799.99.

Black Friday

in cosmetics, apparel, too

The beauty department is coming through with deals on everything from shampoo to French perfume and eye shadow. Download Sephora’s app to get access to this year’s special Black Friday offers or visit Ulta Beauty online when the retailer begins its Black Friday sale on Thanksgiving at 4 p.m. Select cosmetics from Urban Decay, Smashbox and Estee Lauder are marked down by 25 and 30 percent.

We all know that workout season follows the holiday season and Nike has released a Black Friday Collection of clothes and sneakers, including its popular Lunar Force 1 boots, at slight discount prices. However, serious sneaker heads would do better getting their $200 Lunar Force 1 boots at Footlocker, where they are $50 to $60 cheaper.

T-Shirts with prints and logos are popular this winter and Atticus, 222 N. Howard St., carries the full line of The Great PNW clothing. PNW’s style is lumberjack retro shirts and hoodies, hats and ballcaps.

Store manager Jenn Menzer said PNW is one of the store’s bestsellers, along with funky prints of local landmarks by artist Chris Bovey.

“And Christmas decorations. We sell lots of Christmas decorations,” Menzer said. Atticus is closed on Thanksgiving but open Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Auntie’s Bookstore, along with many other smaller local businesses, puts its efforts into Small Business Saturday, the day after Black Friday.

Auntie’s has “hired” local writers as celebrity book sellers all day. The list includes Sharma Shields, Jess Walter and Sam Ligon.

And then there’s this: If you’d rather have a retail-free Thanksgiving break, don’t worry. Cyber Monday is just a few days away and you can finish your shopping from the comfort of your computer screen.