National chain Walmart is starting its Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving Day, but Columbus department stores are sticking to the traditional early-morning Friday openings.
“We’re expecting a big one,” Columbus Belk store manager Larry Armstrong said.
The store saw a 20-percent increase last year in Black Friday business and is expecting more this year.
The store will open at 3 a.m., one hour earlier than last year, with 274 doorbuster deals, he said. Hot items will be $19.99 boots. “We ran out last year at about noon.” The store is stocking more boots in anticipation.
Other hot deals include 19-inch TVs that Armstrong predicted would last barely 10 minutes. Men’s jeans, coffeemakers and deeply discounted jewelry are other expected hot items.
“Boots, by far, will be our No. 1 item,” Armstrong said.
Belk is giving away more gift cards this year to appeal to consumers in the down economy. Each store will award a $1,000 gift card. Last year, one of every 100 stores gave away a $1,000 gift card.
Radio Shack is preparing its electronic wares for a 5:30 a.m. Friday opening at Leigh Mall.
Sales associate Rachel Brock said iPods, cellphones, e-tablets and portable DVD players are among hot deals of the day. Remote-controlled toys are also expected to be big sellers.
She identified Kindles and other e-readers, GPS systems and iPods as the holiday season’s “it” items. “(iPods are) always popular with a new generation coming up.”
Shoppers with less money to spend this year can benefit from the Shack’s cellphone trade-in program. Customers receive credit for equipment or an upgrade if they trade in their old phones.
The Sears store at Leigh Mall will open at 4 a.m. Friday with more than 900 doorbuster deals available until 1 p.m., the company said via a news release on its website.
“Our customers want to get the most out of every dollar – and every minute,” said Monica Woo, chief marketing officer for Sears, in a news release. “On Black Friday, Sears will offer more doorbuster deals on the best brands, all backed by service and guarantees that matter.”
JC Penney at Leigh Mall will open at 4 a.m. with free Disney snow globes while supplies last, according to a company news release. More than 500 doorbusters will be available until 1 p.m.
Shoppers who check into the store on the Foursquare social media application can help the Salvation Army. Each check-in will net $25 for the charity up to $100,000, the release said.
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