‘Tis the season to shop ‘til you drop!

Thanksgiving is a time for family and fellowship, but lots of people anticipate the early, affordable start on Christmas shopping.

Black Friday deals start as early as October, and so you don't miss them, here’s an everything-you-need-to-know guide for your shopping experience.

DEALS

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BEST STORES FOR BLACK FRIDAY

Here are some stats from WalletHub. It surveyed nearly 10,000 deals from 35 of the biggest U.S. retailers to identify the stores offering the biggest discounts.

Best Black Friday Retailers (Avg. % Discount)

1

Kohl's (66.32%)

 

6

Bealls Florida (52.78%)

 

2

JCPenney (66.30%)

 

7

Sears (50.09%)

 

3

Belk (62.75%)

 

8

Macy's (45.58%)

 

4

Stage (60.82%)

 

9

Fred Meyer (43.88%)

 

5

Shopko (55.93%)

 

10

AAFES (37.25%)

 

 
Key Stats

  • Kohl's has the highest overall discount rate at 66.32 percent, whereas Bass Pro Shops has the lowest at 20.83 percent.
     
  • The overall average discount for Black Friday is 37 percent. Consumers should aim for this discount amount or higher to avoid Black-Friday traps.
  • The “Apparel & Accessories” category has the biggest share of discounted items, 28.03 percent of all offers, whereas the “Consumer Packaged Goods” category has the smallest at 1.62 percent.

Check out NC mall hours here.

SHOPPING TIPS

Scoring some great deals may be a top priority for many shoppers, but it's important to protect your pockets when in crowded malls. Here are some tips from the Better Business Bureau:

  • Learn about advertising tricks and gimmicks. The new BBB #AdTruth campaign highlights bad ads and helps you learn to identify the most common schemes and cons. Check it out at bbb.org/adtruth.
  • Do your research. Read product reviews, look at the sales flyers and ads, compare prices, look for early promotions and “flash sales.”
  • Read the fine print. Some stores only honor sale ads during a certain time frame, or on certain days. Some stores may only allow you to purchase one item, particularly large, popular and/or deeply discounted products.
  • Know the advertiser. Some of the best deals are only available online, but be careful. It’s easy for a fake site to mimic a famous retailer’s website, so make sure you are shopping with a legitimate site.
  • Sign-up for email alerts. Many stores release their best Black Friday deals to people who have signed up to receive their emails. Just make sure it’s the real business and not a scammer. 
  • Ask for gift receipts and save warranty information. A gift receipt can be tucked into a gift item or card so that the recipient can return or exchange a gift if it’s not just right. Be sure to pass along any information about returns, exchanges, repairs, and warranties to the person who will use the item.

And if crowds aren't for you, these stores have all the deals you need for Cyber Monday and Cyber Week.

For more Thanksgiving news, click here.