Black Friday shopping: Local shoppers offer up strategy for full-contact sport post-Thanksgiving 
 
 Lombard for News Rosemary Rizzo getting ready for Black Friday shopping in Bryant Park, Manhattan. 
 
 Bargain hunting becomes a full-contact sport the day after Thanksgiving, when stores slash prices just in time for the holiday rush. 
 
 Maneuvering the mob of 138 million Americans expected to hit the malls and outlets this season takes plenty of practice, but hard-core customers have got beating the crowds down to a science. 
 
 "I leave the house at 9:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving," says Rosemary Rizzo, 40, from Ronkonkoma, L.I. "Everything used to open at 6 a.m., but every year it gets even earlier." 
 
 The Tanger Outlets in Riverhead will open at midnight, so Rizzo needs to be in line by 9:45 Thursday to power through on her shopping spree until 1:30 p.m. the next day. 
 
 "You gotta pack light, get your coffee and go," she says. "The adrenaline keeps you moving." 
 
 Traveling light also means going it alone. 
 
 "I shop by myself," she says. "You've got to be the fastest, to be able to go from store to store and not have anyone lingering, or you're not going to be able to get what you need." 
 
 She subscribes to sites like BlackFriday.info that clue her in to sales in advance, and pores over her stack of circulars while she's still digesting her Thanksgiving turkey to map her route. 
 
 
 
 Black Friday shopper Matt Kane of Allentown, N.J. outside the Princeton, N.J. Wal-Mart. (Denver for News) 
 
 Organization is also key. "As I go in to each store, I have that specific flyer, my list of who I'm buying for and my wallet. Make sure your money and credit cards are organized, and you know your balance, so that you're not fumbling through your bag at the checkout." 
 
 Past prizes include walking away with two almost-impossible-to-find Wii Fits in 2008 and scoring a $4,500 Coach bag for $99. 
 
 "It's probably a $1,000 day, but I save up for it," says Rizzo, who's been doing this for over a decade. "Black Friday is my holiday. I look forward to it all year!" 
 
 Her husband thinks she's bananas, but her friends, relatives and co-workers use her as a shopping service for picking up their own gifts. 
 
 "I'm thinking of going into business as a personal shopper," she laughs. "You feel a real sense of accomplishment. There's nothing like the rush you get from finding a great bargain!" 
 
 Black Friday isn't just a day of shopping for the frugal. For some, it's more like a game of "Survivor." 
 
 "Outwit, outlast, outplay," says Matt Kane, 33, from Allentown, N.J. "It's all about competition for me — and victory!" 
 
 To prep for one of the biggest shopping days of the year, the Black Friday veteran does days of research and cases each store to see where each product will be placed. ||||| After the turkey comes the shopping. From deals to perks to hours, The Daily Beast surveys the experts to develop the definitive list of where to go on America’s discount holiday. 
 
 Serious shoppers across the country are readying their lists and cementing their strategy for the high holiday of shopping—Black Friday. Loaded with wish lists that include HDTVs, videogame consoles, appliances, and toys, Black Friday is a boon for the frugal and shopping fanatics. The National Retail Foundation estimates 138 million shoppers will descend on store aisles this weekend. 
 
 Black Friday shoppers come in two types, says Michael Brim of Bfads.net, one of a handful of online sites that track Black Friday advertisements. “There are the shoppers that shop for the necessity, to save money, and the shoppers who do it for the thrill of it,” he says. And waiting in line for hours to be one of the first to rush through a store’s doors at 5 a.m.? That’s just part of the rush. “I equate it to tailgating. People show up five to six hours before the game starts to meet people who share the same interests,” says Brim. "It’s a day where you can meet people like yourself and spend time with friends.” 
 
 In the last five years, stores have started to open progressively earlier, matched by shoppers willing to wait in line longer. For the first time in its history, Sears will even be open on Thanksgiving itself from 7 a.m. until noon. “Who ever heard of that?!” exclaims Dev Shapiro, spokesman for Gottadeal.com, another Black Friday site. “The stores are opening earlier and earlier—one-upping each other. If this trends continues, I’m sure retailers like Best Buy will open earlier. That would just intrude on peoples’ holidays.” 
 
 “Some people even skip Thanksgiving dinner,” says Brim. “I actually met one guy last year who had been waiting in line since 2 p.m. on Wednesday…that’s crazy.” 
 
 • Anneli Rufus: America’s Biggest SpendersIn order to comb through the confusion, The Daily Beast asked the experts at six sites dedicated to Black Friday to rank the largest national retailers holding Black Friday promotions to find which stores offer the best bang for your shopping buck. Our panel includes: BFads.net, BlackFriday.info, GottaDeal.com, TGIBlackFriday.com, Blackfriday.fm, and TheBlackFriday.com. 
 
 Gallery: Ranking the 15 Best Stores on Black Friday 
 
 Each store was ranked based on an average cumulative score out of 30 based on three criteria on a scale from 1 to 10: 
 
 • Prices—How extensive are the sales in terms of products offered and the degree of discount on Black Friday promotions. 
 
 • Hours—The start time and length of sales. 
 
 • Perks—How does the retailer improve the shopping experience, i.e. with free coffee, chance giveaways, warm space to wait in line, etc. 
 
 And the weekend’s winners are… 
 
 Like The Daily Beast on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for updates all day long. 
 
 For inquiries, please contact The Daily Beast at editorial@thedailybeast.com. ||||| Sandy Huffaker / Getty Images file Last year's scene at a San Diego Best Buy store. Expect similar lines this year. 
 
 The most hyped and hectic shopping day of the year is just hours away. If you intend to fight the crowds to grab some bargains, you need to have a plan. 
 
 A number of major retailers are opening earlier than ever – moving the start of Black Friday to Thanksgiving. Some have staggered the door-buster sales. 
 
 The newspapers are filled with special Black Friday circulars. You can see most of what’s available at sites such as bfads.net, blackfriday.com and blackfriday.gotadeal.com. 
 
 The editors at dealnews.com analyzed these ads and concluded that some products are being offered at all-time low prices – but not all. For example, you’ll find the best prices on toys not on Black Friday, but instead two weeks before Christmas. Dealnews put together a list of 10 things not to buy on Black Friday. 
 
 At least half of all Americans have started their holiday shopping already. The big retailers have taken notice, with some opening their doors Thursday night to kick off Black Friday deals. NBC's Janet Shamlian reports. 
 
 Hate crowds? You might be able to shop from home. While some door-buster deals can only be snagged at the store, most Black Friday specials can be found online. Dealnews found that 70 percent of the deals available at Wal-Mart and Target stores on Thanksgiving last year were also available online for the same price or less. 
 
 Let’s go shopping! 
 
 Here’s a rundown of what’s happening at some of the nation’s biggest retailers (in alphabetical order): 
 
 Best Buy: The electronics retailer starts its Thanksgiving Weekend sale at midnight on Friday. To make things easier, they hand out tickets two hours before the store opens. BestBuy.com is open on Thanksgiving. 
 
 The electronics retailer starts its Thanksgiving Weekend sale at midnight on Friday. To make things easier, they hand out tickets two hours before the store opens. BestBuy.com is open on Thanksgiving. JCPenney: This is the store’s only sale of the year. Prices on hundreds of items (online and in the store) will be reduced for one day only, starting at 6 a.m. on Black Friday. Store employees will hand out holiday buttons that offer the chance to win one of 20 million gifts, including gift cards, merchandise and vacations. This promotion starts on Black Friday and runs through Christmas Eve. 
 
 This is the store’s only sale of the year. Prices on hundreds of items (online and in the store) will be reduced for one day only, starting at 6 a.m. on Black Friday. Store employees will hand out holiday buttons that offer the chance to win one of 20 million gifts, including gift cards, merchandise and vacations. This promotion starts on Black Friday and runs through Christmas Eve. Kmart: The store’s three day sale is the earliest of the bunch and there are three rounds of doorbusters – both in-store and online. Round one is on Thanksgiving Day from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the stores and 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. online. Round two goes from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. at the stores and 7 p.m. until 5 a.m. online. Round three, on Black Friday, runs between 5 a.m. and 11 a.m. at the stores and 4 a.m. and 1 p.m. online. Did you get all that? 
 
 The store’s three day sale is the earliest of the bunch and there are three rounds of doorbusters – both in-store and online. Round one is on Thanksgiving Day from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the stores and 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. online. Round two goes from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. at the stores and 7 p.m. until 5 a.m. online. Round three, on Black Friday, runs between 5 a.m. and 11 a.m. at the stores and 4 a.m. and 1 p.m. online. Did you get all that? Kohl’s: Things get going Wednesday as 500 Early Bird specials went on sale at Kohls.com. The stores open at midnight on Friday. Shoppers get $15 Kohl’s Cash for every $50 they spend in store or online, with no limit during this “Operation: Black Friday” sales event. Kohl’s “Dream Receipts” promotion starts on Friday and runs through Christmas Eve. Every day, one shopper at each store and online will be picked at random and Kohl’s will pick up the tab. No purchase necessary. 
 
 Things get going Wednesday as 500 Early Bird specials went on sale at Kohls.com. The stores open at midnight on Friday. Shoppers get $15 Kohl’s Cash for every $50 they spend in store or online, with no limit during this “Operation: Black Friday” sales event. Kohl’s “Dream Receipts” promotion starts on Friday and runs through Christmas Eve. Every day, one shopper at each store and online will be picked at random and Kohl’s will pick up the tab. No purchase necessary. PetSmart: Pet parents will find Black Friday deals online beginning Thanksgiving Day. Some pre-Black Friday items, discounted by as much as 75 percent, are already available online. Retail stores open at 7 a.m. on Friday. 
 
 Pet parents will find Black Friday deals online beginning Thanksgiving Day. Some pre-Black Friday items, discounted by as much as 75 percent, are already available online. Retail stores open at 7 a.m. on Friday. Sears: The bargain-hunting (both online and in the stores) starts at 8 p.m. on Thursday and continues through 10 p.m. on Black Friday. Sears says it is offering more than a thousand doorbuster deals during its 26-hour sales event broken into two groups. Some go on sale at right away. The rest are available starting at 4 a.m. Black Friday. Check the Sears Thanksgiving and Black Friday circular for a savings pass or online purchase code that gives you an extra 10 percent off when you spend $40 or more on clothing, intimates, sleepwear, accessories, fragrances and cosmetics. “Shop Your Way” members get extra perks for this sale. Check out the deals and door-busters at sears.com/Black Friday. 
 
 The bargain-hunting (both online and in the stores) starts at 8 p.m. on Thursday and continues through 10 p.m. on Black Friday. Sears says it is offering more than a thousand doorbuster deals during its 26-hour sales event broken into two groups. Some go on sale at right away. The rest are available starting at 4 a.m. Black Friday. Check the Sears Thanksgiving and Black Friday circular for a savings pass or online purchase code that gives you an extra 10 percent off when you spend $40 or more on clothing, intimates, sleepwear, accessories, fragrances and cosmetics. “Shop Your Way” members get extra perks for this sale. Check out the deals and door-busters at sears.com/Black Friday. Staples: The world’s largest office products company promises savings online and at the store. Early Bird Deals are available on Black Friday from 5 a.m. until noon. Find savings of $200 or more on select HP personal computers with Windows 8. Online orders are shipped for free. A new service this year: you can reserve products online and pick them up at the store, normally within two hours of ordering. 
 
 The world’s largest office products company promises savings online and at the store. Early Bird Deals are available on Black Friday from 5 a.m. until noon. Find savings of $200 or more on select HP personal computers with Windows 8. Online orders are shipped for free. A new service this year: you can reserve products online and pick them up at the store, normally within two hours of ordering. Target: Black Friday starts at 9 p.m. on Thursday. That’s the earliest Target has ever opened on Thanksgiving Day. Also new this year, additional doorbusters will go on sale at 4 a.m. on Black Friday. Shoppers who spend $50 or more on apparel, accessories or home products between 4 a.m. and noon on Friday will get a $10 Target gift card to use on a future purchase. Target says its website will have exclusive discounts starting Thanksgiving Day. 
 
 Black Friday starts at 9 p.m. on Thursday. That’s the earliest Target has ever opened on Thanksgiving Day. Also new this year, additional doorbusters will go on sale at 4 a.m. on Black Friday. Shoppers who spend $50 or more on apparel, accessories or home products between 4 a.m. and noon on Friday will get a $10 Target gift card to use on a future purchase. Target says its website will have exclusive discounts starting Thanksgiving Day. Toys R Us: The fun starts at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving. Look for the Thanksgiving weekend circular in newspapers on Thursday. Those sale items will also be posted at Toysrus.com. You can see some of the deals right now on the company’s Facebook page. The first 200 customers in line when each store opens will receive a free “Great Big Goody Bag” filled with stocking-stuffers and valued at $30. For those who don’t want to give up their Thanksgiving to shop, Toys R Us and Babies R Us will offer a new selection of doorbuster deals at 5 a.m. Friday morning. 
 
 The fun starts at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving. Look for the Thanksgiving weekend circular in newspapers on Thursday. Those sale items will also be posted at Toysrus.com. You can see some of the deals right now on the company’s Facebook page. The first 200 customers in line when each store opens will receive a free “Great Big Goody Bag” filled with stocking-stuffers and valued at $30. For those who don’t want to give up their Thanksgiving to shop, Toys R Us and Babies R Us will offer a new selection of doorbuster deals at 5 a.m. Friday morning. Wal-Mart: The doors open at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving night, two hours earlier than last year. This is just the first of three Black Friday sales at Wal-Mart. The electronics event begins at 10 p.m. and the third wave of door-busters starts at 5 a.m. on Friday and lasts through the weekend. Something else new this year at Wal-Mart: the “1-Hour In-Stock Guarantee” on Thanksgiving night. Customers who are inside the store or in-line between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. are “guaranteed” to get super-low prices on the Apple iPad2, an Emerson 32” TV and LG Blue-ray player. If any of these items sell out before 11 p.m., and the customer pays for it before midnight, the product will be shipped to that Wal-Mart store for pick up before Christmas. 
 
 Your iPhone or Android is probably in your pocket no matter where you go, so why not take advantage of it during your shopping trips? NBCNews.com's Rosa Golijan shows you how. 
 
 (You can print a simple list of Black Friday 2012 store hours at Cheapism.com) 
 
 More Black Friday Resources 
 
 Herb Weisbaum is The ConsumerMan. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter or visit The ConsumerMan website.
– For some, Black Friday will actually begin tonight. "I leave the house at 9:30pm on Thanksgiving," one serious shopper tells the New York Daily News. "Everything used to open at 6am, but every year it gets even earlier." With 138 million Americans expected to be out shopping for deals, how can you snag what you want? Some tips: "You gotta pack light, get your coffee and go," says the aforementioned shopper, who recommends—along with many of her seasoned peers—shopping alone, and organizing flyers and credit cards beforehand. Or bring a shopping pal ... and a strategy. "We tag-team," says one shopper. "My friend or I will stay in line while the other person runs to get their stuff." "Outwit, outlast, outplay," says another Black Friday veteran who befriends managers for "insider information" and cases each store beforehand so he'll know where to find products. He also recommends talking to other shoppers in line to make sure you're not missing any great deals—but, of course, don't give away any of your own secrets. "It's all mind games before the doors open, and then it's WrestleMania!" Sites like BlackFriday.info can help, but there's nothing like the time-honored just-grab-it technique: Says one shopper, "I usually spot what I want and get it before anyone else sees me or the product." Click here for five more tips from a pro.