Black Friday sales intensify in downturn

NRF's Davis said shoppers expect even more bargains and low prices during the Black Friday weekend.

"While retailers have already come out with a lot of sales and discounts, consumers have been trained that there is still something in retailers' bag of tricks," she said. "They know that retailers are planning something big for Black Friday."

BAG OF TRICKS

And that bag of tricks is changing by the minute.

Retailers such as Wal-Mart are offering special deals on their website on Thanksgiving, while many malls plan midnight openings for Thursday into Friday morning.

Mid-tier department store operator Kohl's Corp said on Thursday it will have deeper discounts on more products during the Black Friday weekend, while Limited Brands Inc -- whose main chains are Victoria's Secret and Bath and Body Works -- expects more promotions than planned.

To win sales earlier, CVS Caremark Corp's is holding a week-long promotion with deals on digital photo frames and MP3 music players.

Dollar General is starting its "Black Friday" sale this Sunday, with a Black & Decker coffee maker for $15. It will be open on Thanksgiving day, selling men's Wrangler jeans for $8.

Last year, the Black Friday weekend accounted for 10.1 percent of total holiday sales, according to ShopperTrak, up from 9.5 percent in 2006 and 9.3 percent in 2005.

Accenture's Hoffman said she will watch to see how much financing retailers offer to help shoppers buy big ticket items, such as flat-screen televisions.

She also expects consumers who can no longer afford to shop in upscale chains to look for luxury in different venues, such as off-price retailers.

"It's a great time for retailers to really make sure they know what their customer want to buy," she added.

"Those that don't are going to continue to see pressure on their earnings when they've got the wrong product at the wrong price in these challenging times."

(Editing by Andre Grenon)