Black Friday: What if you miss the doorbusters at Best Buy, Walmart and Kohls?
Jessica BiesBlack Friday wouldn't be Black Friday without those infamous doorbusters, deals granted specifically to shoppers who get to their favorite stores early, either on Thanksgiving or before the midday crowds on Friday.
But what happens if you sleep in? Or have family in town? Maybe you just can't make it to every store on your list.
What kind of deals can you get later in the day?
This is a guide to two things. First, find out what kind of doorbusters there are this year.
Then, find out what to do if you miss them.
Doorbusters 101
The following stores have big doorbuster sales on Black Friday this year.
Bass Pro Shops: Sales at Bass Pro Shops are in-store only, and they'll only be open six hours, from 5 a.m. to 11 a.m. We've also heard the first 300 customers in line when the store opens will get a mystery prize.
BJ's: You have lots of time to get blockbuster deals at BJ's. They'll be available Nov. 23-26, while supplies last.
BLACK FRIDAY 2018
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Best Buy: Best Buy's sale is always online and in the stores. The online portion of the sale runs all day Thursday and Friday with some specific online-only doorbusters as well as in-store only doorbusters. There's no specific timeline for the deals, but per usual, discounted electronics will only be available while supplies last.
Stores will open at 5 p.m. Thanksgiving. Then, most stores will close at 1 a.m. and reopen at 8 a.m. Black Friday.
Dell: Doorbusters start at 10 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day, and include a selection of electronics that will be sold at a discount, while supplies last. If you snooze, you lose.
Dick's Sporting Goods: Dick's will be open on Thanksgiving Day from 6 p.m. until 2 a.m. Friday morning then will reopen at 5 a.m. Several things are on sale, while supplies last, but it's important to note that Dick's also has a Best Price Guarantee. If you find something cheaper somewhere else, they'll match the deal.
Additionally, you can save 65 percent in-store and online through 2 p.m. Friday.
Kohl's: As usual, Kohl's doorbusters will be electronics, sold while supplies last or until 1 p.m. Friday. Stores will open 5 p.m. Thursday, and one of the best deals this year is on the Instant Pot Duo60 7-in-1 pressure cooker. Save $30 and get it for $69.99, plus $15 in Kohl's Cash.
Macy's: Macy's is one of only a few stores that still have more traditional doorbusters, which are on sale for only a few hours. Doorbuster pricing is through 1 p.m. on Friday and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.
There are also 12 doorbusters that will be free this year after mail-in rebate. Consult the ad in this Thanksgiving's News Journal for more info.
Sears: Stores open 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving and are open all day Friday, but doorbuster deals are also available online. Like at other stores, many deals are only good while supplies last. So show up early to save $1,000 and get a Kenmore French Door Refrigerator for $889.99.
Target: Like Sears, Target has several doorbuster sales that are good while supplies last. Stores open 5 p.m. Thursday, close at 1 a.m. Friday and re-open at 7 a.m.
There will be more than 15 televisions under $300, as well as good deals on several other electronics.
Walmart: Stores will have a selection of electronics that it will be selling at huge discounts, while supplies last. That means you will have to show up early to get that Sharp / TCL 65” Class 4K Roku Smart TV for $398 or the Xbox ONE X 1TB Console for $399.
Stores open at 6 p.m. Thanksgiving Day, and select deals will be available online starting at 10 p.m. Nov. 21. But keep in mind that some doorbusters will only be available at your local Walmart store, so make sure you consult their ad in The News Journal Wednesday.
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Late to the game?
Very few stores still have traditional doorbusters that require you to show up at a specific time and get your shopping done in the morning.
Instead, you really have to roll the dice. You can arrive at stores like Walmart, Sears and Target whenever you want, but they may be sold out of something.
Here are a few tips, just in case you do get a late start:
- Shop online. Many stores also have doorbusters online and are offering free shipping this year. If you can't physically go to the store, get online early instead and try to snag some of the best deals before they run out.
- Go somewhere with extended sales. BJ's, Macy's and a few other stores have sales on Saturday, too. They may run out of stock, but you still have a better chance of getting something good. You can also try getting to stores like Target or Best Buy, which are closing for a few hours overnight, then reopening on Friday. That will give them a chance to restock their shelves.
- Prioritize. Let's face it. You may not be able to get to all the doorbuster sales. And you may not want to. Try picking one store that has something you really want, and make it a priority.
- Wait for Cyber Monday. Just about every major retailer is also taking part in Cyber Monday this year. If you didn't get something on Black Friday, wait and see if you can get it for a comparable price on Monday. Ads for Cyber Monday typically come out after Thanksgiving.
Bonus!
WalletHub surveyed nearly 7,000 deals from 35 of the biggest U.S. retailers’ 2018 Black Friday ad scans to identify the stores offering the biggest discounts in various product categories such as “Appliances,” “Jewelry” and “Toys.”
If you having a tough time deciding what store to go to on Black Friday, check out this comparison of their discounts.
Contact Jessica Bies at (302) 324-2881 or jbies@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @jessicajbies.