Standing on the Best Buy sales floor today, before a roped off, ceiling-high stack of 32 inch TVs that the retailer will discount on Black Friday, I was struck by how much this orchestrated event has changed. Just a couple of years ago, the big Black Friday story was rogue websites that were covertly obtaining and posting retailers' Black Friday ads, which were supposed to be secret until Thanksgiving. A flurry of lawsuits didn't stop the ads from leaking…and then came Twitter. Now, retailers are tripping over each other to announce their Black Friday deals. When you can't beat the consumer, charm 'em.
The good news for shoppers is you no longer have to worry about chasing rumors. When you decide to go shopping at 4 a.m., you'll know what's going to be in store. Go directly to the websites of your favorite stores and you'll find all of their sales plans listed. Follow them on Twitter or Fan them on Facebook for more details. You might also discover that the Black Friday deals will be available online on Thursday so you can save, and still sleep in
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