Black Friday Version 2020

Graphic design by Kylee Weber

Anyone who has ever participated in Black Friday shopping is aware of the crowded aisles, long lines and grumpy people, all starting at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving evening. However, due to COVID-19, Black Friday will be looking different this year across the world. There are now limits to the amount of people in the store, mask mandates, limitation on purchases and differing hours to minimize the amount of traffic. These tools that stores have put in place are supposed to almost eliminate exclusive Black Friday deals and extend them over a course of time to keep the employees and shoppers safe for the holidays.

Black Friday in the past consisted of leaving Thanksgiving dinner early to get in line at Walmart for the 55-inch smart TV they have on sale. However, this year, they are allowing the ease of shopping to come from home and over the course of November. Several stores are participating in Black Friday week or month -- instead of having all the sales on one specific day, they increased it to several weeks and almost the whole month of November.

As a college student, we are shopping with a very tight budget and most of us rely on these deals to get presents for our loved ones. Here are the Black Friday week/month sales:

Walmart: The mega chain is running several online deals exclusive by dates. The store will not be open on Thanksgiving Day this year but will be open Black Friday morning for more deals. Walmart is participating in Cyber Monday and is extending deals across the next two weeks to limit foot traffic.

Target: This store is unique because it is participating in weekly Black Friday deals and also daily deals throughout the next two weeks. Target announced that it will not be open Thanksgiving Day but on Black Friday.

Amazon: The popular online shopping store has been running “Prime Days.” These days include exclusive sales on popular items. Due to their popularity because of COVID-19, several items take more than a week or two to ship. If there are items on your shopping list that you will be getting from Amazon, research how long it will take to ensure you will get it before the holidays.

Overall, COVID-19 has changed several things for the world, Black Friday being one of them. The tradition of standing in long lines and pushing through crowds of people is no more, due to social distancing guidelines that the CDC has emphasized during this uprising in cases. Black Friday may not look the same as past years, but the deals are the same, if not better. Be sure to do your research and check in on popular stores that have items on your shopping list. These deals will vary each week, so don’t miss your opportunity to shop and save money.