has become something of an anachronism in the e-commerce era. The day after Thanksgiving marks the official start of the holiday shopping season, but retailers already have spent weeks flooding their websites and customers' email inboxes with early Black Friday offers.
If and advertisers are to be believed, the best bargains still are to be had from Black Friday through Cyber Monday, a four-day period known in the retail world as BFCM for short. That may be especially true for big ticket items, seasonal merchandise and the latest trendy products.
Consumer advocates note, however, that deep discounts are not a once-a-year opportunity. They advise shoppers to comparison shop, research price histories and to to make sure they are buying what they really wanted at a good price.
That said, some people enjoy stepping out from behind a computer or phone screen to take in the holiday atmosphere and music at a local mall or shopping area. are promising in-store experiences and exclusives to get them through the door. A number of stores that were closed on Thanksgiving reopen early Friday as retailers work to kick the holiday shopping season into high gear.
Here are the Black Friday store hours for some prominent national chains.
Best Buy Black Friday hours
stores will be open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Dick鈥檚 Sporting Goods Black Friday hours
Most Dick鈥檚 Sporting Goods stores will be open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Home Depot Black Friday hours
stores will open at 6 a.m. and close at the store鈥檚 regular hours. Specific closing hours may vary by store.
JCPenney Black Friday hours
JCPenney stores will open at 5 a.m.
Kohl鈥檚 Black Friday hours
Most Kohl's stores will open at 5 a.m.
Lowe鈥檚 Black Friday hours
Lowe鈥檚 will open at 6 a.m.
惭补肠测鈥檚 Black Friday hours
stores will be open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Hours vary by location.
Sam's Club Black Friday hours
Sam's Club stores will be open during their regular hours.
Sephora Black Friday hours
Some stores will open early and/or stay open late. Hours vary by location.
Target Black Friday hours
Most stores will open at 6 a.m.
Walmart Black Friday hours
stores will be open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The Associated Press
