Black Friday Deals 2008

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What to Expect at 22 Retailers

Let the shopping begin! The doors are open on Black Friday, typically the biggest shopping day of the year. Who is going to win big? Who will be struggling? Where can you get the best deals. Click through for all the answers, and also check our liveblog for up-to-the-minute news of the day from all across the country.

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First Up: What to Expect at ...

Ace

Status: Trying to compete with Lowe's and Home Depot for recession DIYers
What will be on sale: Tools, tools, tools. Some of Ace's deals have already been leaked and show that accessories are also key this year -- like toolboxes. Expect to see doorbuster deals on power tools and many other practical items for around the house.
Prediction: Ace will be facing stiff competition this year as the big box chains worry about the bottom line, so expect better-than-usual deals.
' See More on Ace's Deals

Next: What to Expect at ...

Wal-Mart

Status: Tough economic times are boom times for the discounter.
What will be on sale: Everything. The retailer will be cutting prices early and often this season -- with pre-Black Friday deals that started in October. Doorbusters from 5am to 11am include $15 Blu-ray discs, $2 DVDs, a $15 Shop-Vac, $10 toys and a $199 X-Box.
Prediction: Wal-Mart will win in holiday sales, but extra-deep discounting will hurt the bottom line.
' See More on Wal-Mart's Deals

Next: What to Expect at ...

Target

Status: Doing well, but still falling behind Wal-Mart
What will be on sale: Target is dropping prices on everything and is leading the way in discount electronics. The big price drop is on a 26" HDTV from Westinghouse for $299, but there's also a $99.99 GPS system, a $69 digital camcorder, video games as low as $7 and $44 iPod dock.
Prediction: Target will be bustling, but probably not busy enough to make it the #1 holiday destination.

Next: What to Expect at ...

Kmart

Status: Struggling and playing major catch-up
What will be on sale: Kmart is splitting up its Black Friday deals this year into Friday and weekend specials. Doorbusters on Friday include $29.99 Jaclyn Smith cashmere sweaters, a $99.99 GPS system, $10 kids winter jackets and buy-one-get-one Lego sets. Saturday is the day for buy-one-get-one Leapster sets, a $39.99 air hockey table and a $49.99 digital photo frame.
Prediction: Kmart will likely draw in a crowd with a careful selection of low-priced loss leaders.
Next: What to Expect at ...

Best Buy

Status: Even when the economy is doing poor, consumers still want their gadgets
What will be on sale: HDTVs, like this doorbuster: an $899 50" Viera HDTV. Also on sale for early shoppers: a $59.99 digital camera, a $379 Toshiba laptop and Guns n' Roses new album for $11.99. Among the regular sale items are video games, phones, computers and music players.
Prediction: Lines stretched around the block will bring in record sales for the electronics giant.
More Best Buy deals

Next: What to Expect at ...

Circuit City

Status: Under new leadership, Circuit City will be counting on Black Friday, even as it plans to shut some stores.
What's likely to be on sale: Home theater, games and cameras. A new policy means that prices in the stores will be the same as online, so no reason to wait for CyberMonday.What can you buy? How about doorbusters that include a 42" Samsung HDTV for $699.99 or a $79.99 Samsung digital camera or $2.00 DVDs and CDs.
Prediction: Circuit City may do well, but moving a lot of merchandise may only make stores easier to close.
Next: What to Expect at ...

Staples

Status: Weak in the last quarter as consumers restrict spending
What will be on sale: Dan de Grandpre from Dealnews.com confirms several great deals that will be available in store and online, including a Tom Tom GPS unit for $99, a 7" digital picture frame for $39.99 and a 19" LCD monitor for under $100.
Prediction: If the back-to-school drive is any indication, outrageous doorbusters will drive traffic and sales, but low prices may not help the financial outlook.

Next: What to Expect at ...

Office Depot

Status: A new credit deal may give the chain deep pockets to offer great deals
What will be on sale: The retailer comes out swinging this year with a $350 HP laptop and a $490 Toshiba one, plus a $15 off coupon for Friday or Saturday. Dan de Grandpre from Dealnews.com recommends that shoppers check online for Office Depot's deals before heading out to the lines since Office Depot will likely offer free shipping with no minimums.
Prediction: It will look to online sales and free shipping to wow shoppers this year!
Next: What to Expect at ...

JC Penney

Status: Sales were plunging even before a weak back-to-school season
What will be on sale: Doorbusters start at 4am, and include a ton of household and novelty gadgets, like a $99 doughnut maker and $16.88 mens' grooming kit. Jewelry, clothing and kids items are also heavily discounted across the board, like 50% off all handbags and wallets, dresses, most outwear and kids clothes.
Prediction: Doorbusters, like the 88-cent items offered this fall, may do better than any new "fashion" lines that the store adds.

Next: What to Expect at ...

Kohl's

Status: Kohl's is down but not as down as some (like Penney's, which was down 38%)
What will be on sale: Kohl's may have the steepest discounts of the season, touting 300 doorbusters and many items in the store marked off 40% to 75%, including 50% off all toys and 60% off all fine jewelry. The retailer is also offering $10 cash for every $50 spent in the store or online.
Prediction: Kohl's will fill up the store with excited customers in order to boost overall sales.
More on Kohl's deals

Next: What to Expect at ...

Sears

Status: Struggling the most (down 62% last quarter) and trying to stay out of bankruptcy.
What will be on sale: Sears is also going the wholesale discount route, especially for doorbusters, offering 40% to 60% off most categories, with an additional $10 off for every $50 in purchases. As for HDTVs, it's offering a 40" Sony for $1399.99, which is not as low as most expected. It's lowest price HDTV is a 19" Samsung for $299.
Prediction: With price guarantees and 0% financing Sears will still be a busy store.
More on Sears
Next: What to Expect at ...

Old Navy

Status: Struggling even as consumers head for low-cost brands, down 9% at last check
What will be on sale: Want a pretty good doorbuster? How about just a flat 50% off across the board? The store will also be giving out a free Samsung MP3 player with $20 purchase.
Prediction: Old Navy will draw crowds early.

Next: What to Expect at ...

Amazon

Status: Riding high on digital sales and low prices Amazon is set up to offer great prices this Fall.
What will be on sale: You'd think Amazon would focus on CyberMonday, but it offers up Black Friday deals as well, including a huge 50% off selection, $8.99 CD box sets and 20% off select baby items.
Prediction: Amazon will use free or cheap shipping and discounts across the board to come out on top of online retailers this Black Friday.
Next: What to Expect at ...

Babies R Us

Status: Hoping to piggyback on the sales of its sibling chain, Toys R Us
What will be on sale: This year's savings catalog breaks down baby gear by price category -- with the focus on value items in the $10, $15, $20 and $25 categories. There's also a pull-out coupon book that the company tallies up at $395 worth of savings. The deals include 15% off diaper bags, various toys, and other baby must-haves, all the way up to $250 off furniture suites.
Prediction: Baby gear isn't such a seasonal category, but the chain should do well on toys and other gift accessories.
Next: What to Expect at ...

CVS

Status: Trying to compete in the ever-consolidating drug-store category by keeping customers loyal
What will be on sale: The best deals are for household gadgets like crock pots and grillers at 9.99 with your Extra Care Bucks (ECB), and a slew of buy-one-get one offers on cosmetics, toys and food items. A few items will be free after the ECB instant rebate, like Colgate Total, a universal remote and Aussie hair products.
Prediction: Free beats "on sale" any day.

What will be free

Next: What to Expect at ...

Walgreens

Status: Like CVS, trying to compete for last-minute shoppers and keep loyal customers
What will be on sale: Doorbusters include BOGO on Webkinz, scented candles, reader glasses and potted trees. The best deals for gifts are body butter for $1.99 and the Norelco Razor at half price.
Prediction: Walgreens may not be a premier Black Friday destination, but deals may catch stragglers.

Next: What to Expect at ...

Half Price Books

Status: Struggling against big chains and against online sites
What will be on sale: This may be the most exciting deal so far this year. To start off, stores will be offering 20% off any purchase on top of handing out $5 gift cards, tote bags and 2009 calendars. Finally, any purchase over $30 will net you a $5 t-shirt which proudly proclaims, "Books, read the movie!" These are some excellent deals from a retailer whose prices are already low to begin with.
Prediction: It may just be impossible to beat online sites this season.

Next: What to Expect at ...

Home Depot

Status: Trying to rebound after summer store closings.
What will be on sale: Christmas decorations and tools, like 99-cent poinsettas and a $59.97 cordless drill set. Home Depot is trying to lure in economically-stressed homeowners who want to fix up their places on a budget with starter tool sets and gadgets priced under $10, and price drops on more expert tools.
Prediction: Home Depot will do best with small-ticket items and household staples, but will not lift its outlook significantly.
' Read the WalletPop Post

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