black friday

We don't blame you if the thought of Black Friday induces feelings of sheer panic, what with all the crowds and the chaos. But taking part in the shopping holiday comes with benefits other than getting a huge discount on coveted items. Here are a few reasons that might just change a skeptic's mind.

• It's a tradition. These days, Black Friday is as much of a ritual as having Thanksgiving dinner. The day only comes around once a year, and for all the planning and research that goes into it, it should be something to look forward to. If you're not someone who shops most of the year, this is your chance to go a little retail crazy.
• Go for the bonding. Chances are you go Black Friday shopping with your closest family and friends. That gives you plenty of time to spend together: chatting while you wait in long lines, asking one another for opinions, and sharing stories once it's all over. Let the day create a sense of togetherness.
• All about the rush. Let's be honest: there's something exciting about snatching up a great deal before anyone else does. A dose of friendly competition every now and then is perfectly healthy.
• Knock out holiday gift shopping. Braving the crowds is a good decision, if for no other reason than you can buy presents for family and friends in one outing. Shopping in store means you can see and try out items yourself without worrying about how they're going to look when they come in the mail. More likely than not, you'll find gifts for everyone from grandma to your best friend at a great price, and afterward, you can cross shopping off your list.

It's time to hit the gym and build up that shopping stamina, folks — Black Friday mania is going to last longer than ever this year. Best Buy's online-only deals begin on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, and their two-day door-buster sale starts at midnight on Friday, Nov. 23 through Saturday. If you're planning on queuing up outside the doors, stores will be handing out tickets to waiting customers up to two hours before opening. Select front-cover, page-two, and other limited-quantity items will require a ticket for purchase.

There are a daunting number of ad pages to sift through, but fear not, because we've rounded up the best of the Best Buy three-day gadget shopping extravaganza.

Computers

• The Dell Desktop Tower and 20-inch LED Monitor ($500, originally $760) has 8GB memory and 1TB hard drive.
• The Asus 14-inch laptop with 4GB memory, 320GB hard drive running Windows 8 will be $250 in pink, white, or green (originally $380).
• Samsung's 15.6-inch laptop with 4GB memory and 500GB hard drive ($350, originally $574) is a bundle deal: Webroot Security software, neoprene sleeve, wireless mouse, and 8GB flash drive are also included.
• The Lenovo 15.6-inch laptop with 2GB memory and 320GB hard drive is more than half off at $188 (originally $400).

TVs

• Save big on the Toshiba 40-inch LCD HDTV (originally $420), which goes on sale for $180.
• The 32-inch Panasonic 720p HDTV will be $190 on Black Friday (originally $300).

Find out the Apple, tablet, camera, gaming, and phone door-busting prices after the break.

Walmart's Black Friday plans are moving full speed ahead — starting just after turkey has been eaten on Thanksgiving Day itself, despite online petitions for retailers to give the holiday back to their employees. The big-box retailer even has three phases of sales for major shoppers to scoop up deals: phase one begins Thanksgiving Day at 8 p.m., with another round of deals being introduced at 10 p.m., and more home-good sales at 5 a.m. on Friday.

Online shoppers won't even need to wait for Cyber Monday, as a selection of electronics will be listed at sale prices on Thanksgiving. For early prep, take a look at the tech products sure to attract a crowd over the holiday.

Apple Products

• Buy a 16GB WiFi iPad 2 for $399 and get a $75 Walmart gift card.
• On walmart.com Thanksgiving Day there will be an iPod touch and accessory kit for $175; no specifics on the storage of this product, but likely an older model 8GB at this price level. If in store, opt for a 16GB iPod touch for $195.

Gaming Consoles

• Part of the Thanksgiving Day 8 p.m. phase, the store has an exclusive all-white glossy 4GB Xbox 360 and wireless controller bundled with a Skylanders Adventure Starter Pack for $149.
• Starting Thanksgiving Day online, purchase an Xbox 360 value bundle including Kinect for $249 along with the choice of two value (meaning, not Halo 4) games.
• For $199, pick up a 250GB PlayStation 3 and controller, plus the Uncharted Dual Pack and Infamous Collection.
• The basic white Nintendo Wii console will be $89.
• In mobile gaming, $100 will buy Nintendo's DSi XL in midnight blue with camera and touchscreen.

Cameras

• Find the 16MP 6X zoom Nikon S3200 Digital Camera for $69.
• For $100, the Samsung Smart ST195 Digital Camera has 16MP and 10X zoom and records 720p HD video.
• FujiFilm's S4250 Digital Camera with 14MP, 24X zoom, and 720p HD video is $139.
• Nikon has two cameras on sale at Walmart's Black Friday weekend, first of which is the J1 Digital Camera ($399) with 1080p video recording and a three-inch touchscreen back. If an SLR is more your speed, the 10.2MP D3000 Digital Camera with 18-55mm lens kit will be $449.

Read on for a list of Walmart's tablet and TV selections.

Two major retailers one-upped their competitors by releasing Black Friday deals online today. Walmart calls it a "pre-Black Friday event," while Best Buy refers to it as a "two-day sale."

Although many are calling Thanksgiving the new "Black Friday," retailers are now trying to get an even earlier start by releasing online deals to ride the wave of Black Friday consumer spending.

Consumers should keep their eyes peeled for a domino effect as other retailers will likely start following in Walmart's and Best Buy's footsteps and begin offering deals a week in advance. "More retailers will definitely be jumping the gun [because] they have realized that consumers are ready to buy now," says Albert Ko, cofounder of deal aggregator site CheapCheapCheap.com. "People only have so much they can spend on gifts, so why not give them great deals upfront?"

All good bargain hunters know that the secret to snagging the best deals is preparation, preparation, and preparation. To stay ahead of the pack on Black Friday, it's best to have a good idea of what the stores will have on sale on the day of. You can learn this valuable knowledge by scouring Black Friday ads. Though some retailers haven't officially released them, sites like BlackFriday.com and BFAds.com have managed to get their hands on early copies of the ads. Here's where to find ads of major retailers:

• Best Buy
• Costco
• CVS
• Dell
• Lowe's
• Macy's
• Petco
• Pet Smart
• Radio Shack
• Sears
• Target
• Toys R Us
• Walgreens
• Walmart

Watch this space because we're going to keep updating the list as more ads are revealed.

Friday, Nov. 23, marks the date many retailers have been planning for all year: Black Friday. While the day of in-store super savings may not get you a steep discount on everything you need for the holiday season, the day after Thanksgiving certainly provides amazing prices on a select number of enticing products.

That is, of course, if you're one of the first customers through the door, and many people take that status very seriously, lining up hours or even days in advance in order to snag that cheap flat screen TV or video game console. Whether you plan to join them or to take your chances and show up when the store opens its doors, check out our list of major retailers and their store opening times. Happy shopping!

Best Buy: Nov. 23, 12 a.m.

Target: Nov. 23, 12 a.m.

Macy's: Nov. 23, 12 a.m.

Walmart: Nov. 22, 8 p.m.

Kohl's: Nov. 23, 12 a.m.

Toys "R" Us: Nov. 22, 9 p.m.

For more store opening hours, just keep reading.

Busting through Target's doors on Black Friday is the best way to work off a Thanksgiving feast, especially when there are serious gadget deals at stake. This year, start your postturkey exercise early, since Target stores will open Thursday, Nov. 22, at 9 p.m. I repeat, Black Friday sales at Target actually start on Thursday, as in, Thanksgiving Day. No pressure.

So plan ahead, and hit the bull's-eye before the rush by checking out these amazing Black Friday (or, Thursday) tech deals at Target.

Apple Products

• When you buy any iPad, get a free $60 Target gift card.
• Pick up a 16GB Apple iPod touch ($195) and receive a free $40 Target gift card with your purchase. A 16GB iPod nano ($149) earns buyers a $20 gift card.
• Buy the iPhone 4S for Virgin Mobile with no contract ($499) and get a $100 Target gift card in return.

More gaming console, ereader, camera, and TV doorbusters after the break.

It's easy to get caught up in the madness and hype of Black Friday, the year's big shopping holiday. Unfortunately, that includes falling for myths that don't have much truth to them. Here are some of the top ones we've learned to look out for. If you're tackling the sales this year, remember to shop wisely.

You can only score Black Friday deals the day after Thanksgiving. This year, several major companies will kick off their Black Friday sales weeks before the big day. Amazon, for example, will start its specials on Nov. 19, and many stores open on Thursday this year.

You can't get a better deal anywhere else. Some places will make you feel like no one else can beat their prices. But studies show that Black Friday isn't always the best time to shop for certain items.

You have to camp out overnight. Oh, the power of a click of a button. Similar to what happened last year, many Black Friday deals are expected to be offered online for the same price or even less. Now you won't have an excuse to miss Thanksgiving dinner.

Ads are accurate. No matter what the ad pages say, stores can still adjust their sales according to other retailers' prices. And the fine print won't always tell you that there's only one of those flat-screen TVs in stock at that price.

It's worth it. Not every Black Friday deal is really a deal, and hidden costs lurk as well. Once you add up all the time you will spend not only online but also in stores hunting for a deal, you have to ask yourself if it's worth the effort. Do you really need that new laptop? Did you buy something similar last year?