With how the year 2020 has been going, Black Friday deals and shopping adventures may look a little (or a lot) different this year. We don’t have the full details just yet, but with the way retail has changed within the course of this year, we have some ideas and predicaments made by retailers on how this day of deals and sales will work. Retailers are really focusing on their online sales rather than brick-and-mortar locations more than ever before. Being in front of the screen for your Black Friday deals might be the best way to shop this year, although some stores will be open. We have yet to hear how stores will limit capacity and enforce social distancing with such a hectic shopping day, but we anticipate it won’t be announced until days or weeks before!
Within recent years, Walmart has been opening their doors earlier and earlier in an attempt to keep up with its main competitors on Black Friday. They have even started the deals on Thanksgiving day and the concept of Black Friday has slowly been going out the window. Walmart is one of the biggest places to shop for these amazing deals, but this year things are going to be looking a little different.
Walmart will be keeping its stores closed on Thanksgiving Day this year, which they haven’t done in a very long time. Having really good deals all holiday season long is the main way Walmart will try and keep up this shopping season. With the national pandemic affecting retailers around the world, Walmart is doing their best to keep their employees and customers safe. Focusing on having Thanksgiving still be celebrated instead of having the doors opening earlier this year will make a huge difference, and hopefully, the original tradition will live on for years to come.
Best Buy is one of the nation’s top retailers for technology purchases. With Black Friday deals every year, Best Buy is one of the main stores that Black Friday shoppers go to on this day. They will be closed on Thanksgiving Day and have not announced their hours for Black Friday.
With retailers focusing on curbside pickup and online shopping, customers are anticipating looking at their screens for deals this year. Best Buy will without a doubt have high sales this holiday season, but we aren’t sure how in-store shopping will look this year. With the fear of the virus spreading more during the holidays, Best Buy, like most stores, don’t know how the in-store shopping experience will look this Black Friday.
With everyone being confined to their homes for over half of 2020, some technology sales have been through the roof and suppliers haven’t been able to keep up with the demand. Items like the Nintendo Switch have been nearly impossible to get your hands on for months since the pandemic began. Although discounts aren’t a for sure yes at this point, we do know stores will be focused on having this available to shoppers.
With products like AirPods that have been in the market for quite some time now, deals and discounts for this hyped-up product will be available in your Black Friday deals. AirPods and items similar to it have already gone down in price, so we are expecting amazing deals for these products. With retailers competing for who can make the most money while offering the best deals, you will need to act quickly when shopping for anything in the technology department!
The PS5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S are going to be huge sellers amongst retailers this year, but great deals will be slim. With the newly developed market, retailers aren’t likely to be putting out their best Black Friday deals on products that will sell out regardless. Once again, if you want these types of technology products, it is best to act fast and get it before the Black Friday deals begin!
In past years, we have seen people lined up outside of their favorite stores, sleeping outside just so they can get to the best Black Friday deals first. We definitely won’t be seeing lots of that this year, although it is expected that some people will still attempt to do it anyways. People will be waiting it out in their cars in the parking lot, hoping to be the first to the door when they open in the morning.
We know that stores won’t be able to offer the deal of in-store only discounts this year. Whether the store is open for customers or not, deals will still be offered virtually. Retailers are turning away from having a week-long sale like they have in recent years. With all the uncertainty that 2020 has brought us, updates on Black Friday shopping will likely be changing constantly. Knowing exact times and locations for your in-person shopping experience will have to wait until right before Black Friday itself.
With Black Friday approaching, we need to keep in mind all of the rules and regulations that have been put before us this past year. Don’t let months of social distancing and wearing masks be destroyed by one day of crazy shopping. Black Friday is a doctor’s nightmare in the midst of a national pandemic; there’s no way for social distancing to occur in a regular Black Friday scenario. This year will already look entirely different with the new rules in place, but remember to be mindful of the health and safety of other shoppers. The deals will still be online, so, if you can, try and stay online this year for your holiday shopping. Do what is best for you and your loved ones, and try to avoid the crowds this year and get those discounts online instead!
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