Walmart and Target Black Friday Ads Continue Holiday Shopping Controversy

By Bea Karnes (Patch Staff)

As Thanksgiving approaches, bargain hunters across the country are gearing up for Black Friday 2014. Big-name retailers — Target, Walmart and Best Buy — have already posted their Black Friday advertisements.

Walmart’s 40-page Black Friday ad features three doorbuster “while supplies last” events. The first is Thanksgiving Day at 6 p.m., followed by an 8 p.m. event, and another at 6 a.m. Friday.

Electronics lead the way, with a 50-inch Vizio television for $218. Xbox Ones and PS4s are also discounted.

Target’s Black Friday ad features hundreds of video games will be 50 percent off, dolls for $5, movies for $4, kids pajamas for $5 – and that’s just a sampling.

• Amazon Black Friday Deals
• Best Buy Black Friday Ad
• JCPenney Black Friday Ad
• Lowes Black Friday Ad
• Walmart Black Friday Ad
• Target Black Friday Ad
• 2014’s 10 Worst Toys List

With internet ads and flyers generating enormous buzz from holiday shoppers, prompting some shoppers to begin camping out weeks before the sales, other large retailers — Costco, Sam’s Club, Nordstrom, GameStop and others — have announced that stores will actually be closed during the holiday.

While the choice to remain closed and allow employees to spend the holiday with families may be honorable, a survey conducted by Accenture of 2014 holiday shopping patterns shows that 45 percent of consumers will shop on Thanksgiving with half going to stores between 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving day and 5 a.m. on Black Friday.