Black Friday, Holiday Shopping Season | featured news

Authorities say 20 people had minor injuries when a woman shot other customers with pepper spray during a Black Friday sale. Police Lt. Abel Parga says she was trying to keep other shoppers away from the merchandise she wanted.

If you’re like most Americans, your holiday shopping bonanza officially starts Friday, Nov. 25. Or as it’s more commonly known: Black Friday. The precursor to the gift-giving season that is this hallowed Friday seems to be now inexorably tied to the industry I cover: consumer technology and gadgets. Perhaps 30 years ago, the shopping masses were more concerned with gifts of ties, mixers and Mattel toys — but now they seem to only have eyes for the battery-powered, pluggable and 3G-connected.

If you've been weighing buying a new Mac or iPad but are holding out for one of Apple's rare discounts, Black Friday is your chance.

We’ve rounded up the best Black Friday deals of 2011, from TVs to laptops and tablets, with our comprehensive guide to Black Friday. While skiers flock to Aspen in January, and fly fisherman can’t wait to plant their waders in icy Montana rivers come April, it’s November and December that holds special significance for that special breed known as bargain hunters. Between manufacturers eager to bolster their numbers with strong holiday sales and retailers competing for your hard-earned dollars, the deals don’t get much better. And Black Friday represents the first day of open season and offers the best deals of the year.

Black Friday sales rose only slightly from a year ago even though more shoppers visited stores, retail traffic monitor ShopperTrak said Saturday, setting the stage for another uncertain holiday season for retailers.

Shoppers who skipped the crowds on Black Friday gave online merchants a 16 percent spike in revenue, according to data released Saturday....

U.S. shoppers searched for deals on high-definition televisions and popular toys on Friday, as retailers hoped that "Black Friday" would kick off the best holiday shopping season in three years.

Regulators are warning the nation's top retailers to ensure the safety of their workers on Black Friday in the face of what could be a rush for holiday deals.

We heard strong reports for online traffic Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but today, comScore added definitive spending numbers that indicate tha

U.S. consumers turned out in strong numbers to hunt for holiday bargains on Black Friday, though many said they were spending selectively and industry executives questioned whether the momentum would last.