What you need to know about Black Friday this year

Some retailers prefer to keep their doors shut on Black Friday.

REI is one of those brands. Black Friday just doesn't fit in with its mission. REI CEO Jerry Stritzke told Business Insider's Kate Taylor, "You don't win in the long-term by pushing ... what I call rampant consumerism."

Other employers give their whole workforce the day off on Thanksgiving.

According to BestBlackFriday.com, Costco, H&M, The Home Depot, IKEA, Lowe's, Nordstrom, Publix, REI, and Sam's Club will not open on Thanksgiving this year.

Business Insider's Dennis Green reported that the term "Black Friday" originated with Philadelphia police officers, who gave the day its gloomy name in reference to the 12-hour shifts they had to pull in order to "mitigate the madness."

Most retailers haven't yet announced any sweetheart deals for Black Friday shoppers.

IGN predicted that stores will begin announcing their deals in early November, and that early-bird deals will launch in the second week of November.

These aren't deals specific to Black Friday itself, but both Target and Best Buy have announced that they're overhauling their shipping strategies for the holiday season. Best Buy is offering free shipping during the holiday season, while Target will extend its free two-day shipping policy until Christmas.

BestBlackFriday.com reported that Costco will be attempting to lure in tech-oriented shoppers with a $249.99 9.7-inch iPad, as well as 14-inch HP Chromebooks and Dell Inspiron 11 3000s for $199.99.

Meanwhile, IGN reported, "Walmart will probably have the absolute best price on a 4K TV as well as exclusive video game console bundles."

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