Black Friday 2011: Best Buy and Other Stores Opening at 'Black Midnight'

This year’s “Black Friday” shopping spree event features a host of retail stores opening at midnight, with Best Buy announcing they are jumping in the pool with other big-name retail chains.

Macy’s and Target will also open at midnight and give consumers the chance to get their holiday shopping done the night of Thanksgiving, instead of waking at 4 a.m. and waiting in long lines during the early morning hours. The move has led some to rename the day to “Black Midnight.”

In a conference in San Francisco, Best Buy Chief Executive Brian Dunn admitted he felt ‘terrible’ over the move, as it would change Thanksgiving plans for him and many employees. He shared, however, the electronics retailer was left with little choice over the move, because the competition is opening early as well.

Another strategy Best Buy will adopt is free shipping for two months before Christmas on most deals, including same-day pickup for people who decide to buy their items on the Internet and pick them up at a Best Buy store.

Walmart is one of the last stores to not announced a Black Midnight movement, although it has presented customers with a fairly unique strategy with its “Super Saturday” one-day preview event that occurred on Nov. 5 and allowed consumers to get their hands on some pre-Black Friday deals on electronics and toys.

Employees of many retail chains will have to work even earlier – throughout Thursday night. Disney and Toys R Us will be open at 10 p.m. and are allowing families to go searching for holiday toys for their children when they get up from the Thanksgiving dinner table.

Clothing stores, such as Sears and Gap, will take advantage of the same opportunity and give consumers plenty of options for late Thursday shopping.