Five Things You Might Not Know About Black Friday

1. More and more shoppers are searching "Black Friday," and they're doing it earlier and earlier ...
In 2006, shoppers began searching online for "Black Friday" nine weeks before the big day. The following year, they were searching fourteen weeks before Black Friday, and in 2008, they were beginning their searches sixteen weeks ahead of time. This year, following the trend, eager shoppers began searching for "Black Friday" at the beginning of August. And not only are they searching earlier, they're searching more! Over the past three years, there has been a 41% increase in the number of online searches for "Black Friday" and variations of the term.

2. When people spend money on Black Friday, they really spend money ...
In fact, shoppers tend to spend more money than usual on Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and the day after Black Friday! By looking at shopping trends on DealsPlus, we're able to see that on Thanksgiving, the average amount of money spent on an online order is 180% higher than the November average. On Black Friday, the average amount spent is 150% higher than the November average. And on the day after Black Friday, the average order amount is still up 140%.

3. Almost everybody shops on Black Friday ...
Well, maybe not everybody, but a lot of people. Again, looking at the DealsPlus statistics, there is a 310% increase in the number of sales on Black Friday compared to the November average. On the day after Black Friday, there is a 240% increase, and by Cyber Monday the number of sales is still 210% higher than the November average.

4. Black Friday isn't the only day to shop online, but it's still probably the best ...
Why spend hours waiting on line or pushing through crowded stores, when most Black Friday deals are now available online? This year, 90% of electronics deals and 50% of clothing deals will be available from your home computer on November 27th, and most sales will start at midnight. Of course, if you want a head start, many stores release their Black Friday deals a day or two ahead of time (and some deals are leaked even sooner!). Take a look at the ads, and if you don't spot a great Black Friday deal on an item you're looking for, there's a good chance you'll still find it for a good price on the 26th. And, if both days pass you by, you can find fantastic bargains the day after Black Friday, and on Cyber Monday. Inventories may be limited, but the prices are still good!

5. On Black Friday, the early bird catches the worm ...
Make sure to save a piece of pumpkin pie from Thanksgiving dinner, because you're going to need a midnight snack. Not only do many sales start at 12:00am PST on Black Friday, but that's when most doorbuster deals begin too (and they are guaranteed to sell out fast!). The best hours to shop are from midnight to 5:00am PST. Sales peak between 1:00am PST and 4:00am PST.