Black Friday and Thanksgiving shopping 2020: What we know so far - CNET

Black Friday 2020 is shaping up to be a very different kind of shopping experience than any holiday shopping weekend in recent memory. With ongoing inventory issues due to the extended global pandemic -- not to mention the need for retailers to maintain a safe environment for customers and employees -- it's likely that there will be no throngs of expectant customers lining up for hours ahead of massive doorbuster sales. But as we head toward fall, it's possible to piece together a picture of what to expect on Black Friday this year. Here is what we know so far:

Retailers that are closed on Thanksgiving

A number of stores will be closed on Thanksgiving this year, often ending a long-standing tradition of kicking off Black Friday sales on Thursday, before the turkey has had a chance to cool. These retailers have not yet announced plans for Friday, Nov. 27, but we'll update this article as we learn more about their holiday hours. 

In addition, all of the retailers listed below require customers to wear face coverings. Unless their policies change between now and Thankskgiving, it's reasonable to assume that face coverings will be required for Black Friday sales as well. 

Prime Day will be closer to Black Friday than ever 

Amazon has postponed this year's Prime Day, which is usually held in July, because of the pandemic. But until recently, there was no word on when it might be. Amazon has now revealed that Prime Day will occur sometime in the fourth quarter. On paper, that means "between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31." October would make the most sense, and there's still no more specific word on exactly when the event will take place beyond that three-month window. But compared to its usual July slot, Prime Day 2020 is clearly going to happen fairly close to Black Friday, with no more than 56 days between the two sales. 

Read more: Prime Day 2020: Here's what we know about Amazon's big sale

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