'Black Friday' Sales Starting Earlier This Year
LOS ANGELES (CBS) — For years, retailers have offered tremendous deals on Black Friday -- the day after Thanksgiving -- but there is a new trend underway to lure customers into stores even earlier.
Some stores will be open on Thanksgiving with hopes of ringing in the Holidays by ringing up sales. Some people might say it is "gobbling" up Black Friday.
"We've been preparing for about 30 days," said Melissa Millea Wood, the District Manager for Old Navy Los Angeles.
"Thanksgiving has become pretty steady day for us. We have a lot of fun with customers and the promotions are still fantastic," Wood said.
There will be a store-wide sale on Thanksgiving and they will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., closed for four hours before reopening at 12 midnight for another 23 hours.
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During the day Kmart will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Banana Republic from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Macy's, Target, Best Buy and Kohl's will start black Friday at midnight.
Walmart and the Gap will open at 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving.
Toys R Us will be kicking off an hour earlier at 9 p.m.
According to a study by big research, 77 million people will shop over the next four days nationwide.
Shoppers on the Third Street Promenade were split on the idea of spending on a day traditionally reserved for family sharing.
"It saddens me to think that it is going to break up a family gathering to think that people are going to want to go shopping," Cathy O'Hara said.
Others though it was a good idea.
"My family lives back in Australia, so I don't have never celebrated Thanksgiving and it just makes much more sense to do the shopping earlier," said Mel Udkiewicz.
But how about the store employees, who are being called in to work the holiday?
"It really does allow a lot of our team members, who can't get back home to come together with their Old Navy family. So we're all excited to spend some time together with everyone who wants to come shop," Wood said.
If you are waiting until cyber Monday to do your shopping, be careful about surfing at work. Sixty percent of American businesses say they will be blocking shopping sites, which is up 46 percent from last year.
