Black Friday could be even more frantic this year

The day after Thanksgiving will mark the start of the holiday shopping season for many, and several local retailers are slashing prices to attract shoppers.

The day is dubbed Black Friday — when many stores begin turning a profit for the first time of the year.

Nearly all local retailers will be vying for customers’ dollars with markdowns on an array of products. This year considerable discounts may be vital to moving products because of the budget pinch many people are experiencing due to the floundering national economy.

Sam Brownfield, manager at Staples, said the store has not made all of its black Friday discounts, but customers, especially those who come out for the early-bird specials between 6 and 10 a.m., can expect to find significant discounts on most items.

“We will have the usual outstanding deals on computers, software, office supplies and GPS. Pretty much all the popular Christmas gift items,” Brownfield said.

Jerry Case, owner of Sedalia’s Sears, said the store will have specials on nearly all tools, electronics and appliances, with the some of the biggest discounts available between 5 a.m. and noon.

He said he expects flat-screen televisions to attract most buyers at his store on black Friday, but he believes people will also look for more practical items, like appliances and tools, that they can use everyday.

Shoppers can find some of the sales going on at big box chain stores like Staples, Sears, Kmart, Radio Shack, Lowe’s, J.C. Penney and Wal-Mart online at sites dedicated to scouring over catalogs such as www.blackfriday.info, www.black-friday.net, www.iblackfriday.com and www.blackfridayonline.com.

Those looking to find deals on their seasonal shopping without waiting out in the cold can also find several bargains online at Amazon.com, Buy.com or Overstock.com, as well as at the sites of large retail stores like Best Buy, Circuit City or Wal-Mart.

Some local retailers believe the popularity of black Friday shopping will spike this year, with people being more conscious of how they spend their money.

Brownfield expects the turnout for the sales to possibly be bigger than last year’s 200 who showed up as the store opened.

“I’m hoping people are saving up and trying to make their dollars go as far as possible,” Brownfield said. “(Black Friday) is a good chance to save.”

Case expects people to do more research before shopping and spend discreetly this year. Still, he thinks Black Friday will be a popular day for those hunting the best prices when looking for gifts.

“It will be a good opportunity because it will have the best buys of the season,” Case said. “That should play into the concerns people have about the economy.”