Black Friday Sales Start Thanksgiving Evening

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By Jessica Gertler

Story Created: Nov 9, 2012 at 7:25 PM CDT

Story Updated: Nov 9, 2012 at 7:39 PM CDT

The countdown to Black Friday has begun. It's just two weeks away, but this year, some sales will be starting before Thanksgiving dinner is even over.

Black Friday: a day full of door busters, super savings, and long lines.

Last year, stores like Best Buy on Eastern Blvd. opened their doors at midnight creating 20 hours of shopping mayhem.

But this year, retailers are pushing the clock back hoping to boost their sales even more. Walmart, Sears and Kmart will open at 8:00 Thanksgiving night, and Target will open at 9:00 staggering the deals throughout the night, and offering twice as many door busters.

We asked shoppers if they would participate in what some are calling the "Black Friday Creep."

"That's way too early! I won't be going out until maybe the following week," says Chris Martin.

"Yeah I will go. Getting it out of the way and having the whole next day to not have to rush through the crowds would be great!" says Kimberly Northcutt.

"Thursday is supposed to be family time and Thanksgiving. It's definitely way too early for shopping," says Amy Gipson.

The National Retail Federation is predicting holiday spending to rise 4.1 percent, which is down from last year.

CBS 8 News Economic Analyst Jeff Bates weighs in.

"It's an ever continuing idea of we need to get the first dollars. That consumers only have a limited number of dollars to spend for Christmas, so if we open our doors earlier than our competitors then those dollars and our revenues will be higher. We will be more successful," Bates says.

He says this is just the beginning.

"At what point does Black Friday turn into Black Wednesday, or it becomes an everyday ordinary thing," he says.

Some of these stores are getting a backlash. There are multiple on-line petitions asking retailers to not start Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving claiming it's unfair to employees.
 
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