Black Friday: Online, in-store and mobile deals
So-called Black Friday deals are not in short supply these days. But where can you go to get a real, honest-to-goodness deal this shopping season?
CBS News financial contributor Carmen Wong Ulrich shared a number of suggestions on "The Early Show" that you may want to try out this year, whether you're shopping in stores, online or with your phone.
Wong Ulrich noted some stores are opening up extra-early this year, such as Walmart (10 p.m. Thursday), Toys 'R Us (9 p.m. Thursday), Macy's (12 a.m. Friday) and Best Buy and Kohl's (12 a.m. Friday).
To get even more discounts in stores, Wong Ulrich recommends using apps to find the best Black Friday deals before you go out the door -- ones such as CouponSherpa.com's app (available on Android and iPhone devices), which will not only shoot you deals, but enable you to search for coupons to use and scan from your phone at the register.
But if you're looking to avoid the store drama this year, you can make the most of deals online.
Wong Ulrich suggests shoppers build a shopping list for Black Friday or Cyber Monday, with price-tracking and alerts, so you know when the price goes down for something you want.
She added the group shopping site LivingSocial will have a variety of Black Friday deals, from national retailers such as Verizon Wireless, Electronic Arts Inc., OfficeMax, and the sneaker brand Sketchers USA Inc. -- a contrast to the local deals for spas, restaurants and weekend escapes that it has previously been known to market.
Another resource for deals is Facebook. Wong Ulrich notes the site has several Black Friday deal pages, but retailers will be putting in their own special discounts this week for those who 'like' their Facebook page as well as follow their Twitter feeds. Wong Ulrich says retailers, such as JC Penney and Target, have gotten in on that shopping action.
Wong Ulrich adds that it's important when you shop online to find codes or coupons for free shipping. Where can you find them? Wong Ulrich recommends deals sites RetailMeNot.com and FatWallet.com. She adds thatFree Shipping Day is December 18.
And for those who shop on the go with their phones, Wong Ulrich says it could be a great shopping season.
She noted that with a phone, you have the ability to scan bar codes to compare prices online. An app called "The Find," available for both Android and iPhone devices, helps consumers scan and search and compare prices.
And if you're looking to do a little high-end shopping this season, Wong Ulrich says sites like Gilt.com or RueLala.com