Where to Find Best Black Friday Steals and Deals

If you have a black belt in Black Friday shopping, listen up: Area big-box retailers, as well as many mom and pop shops, are gearing up to dazzle bargain hunters even earlier this year—starting on Thanksgiving Day.

Locally stores in Laguna Niguel such as Walmart and Kohl's will have doorbuster deals just like they did last year. But not everyone thinks Black Friday is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

"Cyber-this, cyber-that; where is this all going?" said Laguna Niguel business consultant with Opis Network, Norm Bour. "At one time, Christmas shopping season started at Thanksgiving, but now it starts softly after Labor Day until it reaches its crescendo the days after Turkey Day.

"With everyone looking to outdo each other --and with Walmart getting negative backlash about opening on a major family-centric holiday -- soon we will have not Cyber-Monday, but we will have Cyber-November," he continued. "As much as the supposed 'peak' of on-line shopping is the Monday after Thanksgiving, that is a fallacy, but makes good marketing. Chill out everyone, let's get back to some degree of normalcy, sanity and remembrance of what this holiday really is all about." 

Deals and More Deals

For those who do want to take advantage, last week, Walmart announced it would open its doors at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 22, and offer holiday doorbusters while supplies last. These include deals on TVs, iPads, a $79 electric scooter and a $39 steam mop.

Not to be outdone, Target, Sears and Best Buy have also planned holiday shopping assaults.

Target's deals begin at 9 p.m. According to an ad leaked online, the best deals will be for TVs, a Nook, a Nikon camera and an XBOX 360 Kinect bundle.

At Best Buy, doors open at midnight. Doorbusters include deals on TVs, phones and Samsung laptop bundles.

Walmart will offer its biggest deals from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Thanksgiving night. The store will offer three items at low prices—an iPad, a TV and a Blu-ray player. If a store runs out, you can still buy them at discounted prices but you must register for them online by midnight and have them delivered to your local store.

According to TheBlackFriday.com, several other stores will also have doorbuster sales on Thursday night or at midnight on Friday, including Kohl's and Sears. 

For the early morning traditionalists, some stores will open at 4 a.m. with special sales. If you want to keep up with all of the Black Friday deals, check your favorite retailers' Facebook pages. 

Want to avoid the holiday shopping mega-crowds altogether? Look for Cyber Monday deals on Nov. 26 or visit your local mom-and-pop retailers on Small Business Saturday on Nov. 24.

• Target ad

• Best Buy ad

• Walmart ad

Shopping Small, and Local

If you don't want to shop the large stores and fight the crowds, stores in Laguna Niguel on a smaller scale are also offering deals.

Also, when you shop Laguna Niguel this holiday season, you could win $250, $500 or $1,000 in gift cards. It’s all part of the Laguna Niguel Chamber of Commerce “Shop Laguna Niguel Rewards” program that runs from Nov. 23 through Dec. 31. 

Just bring your original receipt(s) with the sales tax circled, from any business located in Laguna Niguel to the Chamber of Commerce office located at the City Hall complex, Monday to Thursday from 1 to 4 p.m. and you will receive a FREE ticket(s) to win $250, $500 or $1000 gift cards. Receive 1 (one) drawing ticket for each receipt with the sales tax dollars under $100 in sales tax. Receive 10 drawing tickets for each $100 spent in sales tax (no limit).

The drawing will be held on Jan. 18, 2013. Did you know that when you shop and dine in Laguna Niguel, you not only support your local businesses, but you support your city, too.

One cent of sales tax for each dollar spent in Laguna Niguel comes back to the City’s General Fund which goes to support services such as Public Safety, Street and Park Maintenance and a variety of other city programs.  

TELL US: Do you participate in Black Friday, Small Business Saturday or Cyber Monday? If so, where do you find the best deals? Share in the comments below.