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The holiday season in the United States spans from the day after Thanksgiving through December. That kick-off day is known as Black Friday, and it's traditionally marked by massive crowds rushing into stores in order to take advantage of slashed prices on high-ticket items. However, in the retail sphere, the rise of e-commerce and discounts are steadily eclipsing Black Friday.
Whether you're planning on venturing out into the fray or surfing the web for the best deals, it helps to arm yourself with information about this year's discounts.
Here's what you need to know about Black Friday this year:
Black Friday is always the day after Thanksgiving. This year, Black Friday falls on November 23. Cyber Monday will take place on November 26.
That being said, some stores will likely seek to court early-bird deal-seekers. Chains haven't yet announced any early deals, but keep your eyes peeled.
Is everything open on Black Friday?
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.
Why is the day called Black Friday?
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."
What kinds of discounts will stores be offering?
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."
