Thanksgiving has long been known as an American holiday where families get the opportunity to be together and feast over a traditional turkey dinner. However, the Black Friday retail phenomenon has taken over the holiday, encouraging people to prepare their wallets instead of meals.
When asked about smaller stores joining mega retail chains in offering huge deals on their products at least the night before Thanksgiving, chief executive of outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas John Challenger told CBS News, "Bricks-and-mortar retailers more and more are basically having to compete in that marketplace. In some ways we have little choice, and we'll see more and more creep of Black Friday into Thanksgiving."
So which stores offer the best Black Friday deals? Christian Science Monitor drew a top five. Check out whether your favorite store has made it in that list below:
1. Amazon
Pros: A one-stop shop of everything retail
Cons: very fast, staggered "Lightning Deals"
Amazon reportedly remains supreme against other mega-chains like Best Buy and Walmart simply because of their price matches. The store is also known in undercutting item prices that many are enticed to endure the stress brought about by these deals via the store's "Lightning Deals." This year, Amazon is expected to provide great deals on gift cards, movies and electronics.
2. Newegg
Pros: A tech haven for fans who are slow to snagging Amazon's "Lightning Deals"
Cons: The vast number of deals to choose from, mail-in rebates
CS Monitor said that Newegg is beating favorites Walmart and Best Buy simply because of the high number of deals it offered. The electronics store last year was able to offer over a hundred Editors' Choice deals to its fans.
3. Walmart
Pros: Open on Thanksgiving Day, 1-hour Guaranteed in stock, gadget deals
Cons: Not enough great deals
Gotta Be Mobile reported that Walmart is set to blow the competition out of the water by offering amazing deals on laptops, iPhones, iPads, HDTV and video games. The good thing about Walmart this year is their "1-Hour in Stock" policy, where customers can still get the featured items below even if the store ran out of them. Customers have an option to purchase this feature to get the same product shipped to the store before Christmas.
4. TigerDirect
Pros: television deals
Cons: not that many deals by Cyber Monday
The computers and consumer electronics catalog retailer has managed to impress buyers last year because of their excellent TV deals. TigerDirect gained recognition for dropping the price of the highly-anticipated Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 to nearly half, CS Monitor said.
5. Best Buy
Pros: Great doorbuster deals
Cons: Not enough deals by Cyber Monday
CS Monitor said Best Buy had satisfied tech geeks last year when it sold brand new Kindle Fire HD 16GB tablets at a price normally attached to a refurb item. The store also offered the lowest Haswell-equipped 17-inch laptop.
Any stores that we miss? Send in your comments below.
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