Join the Hustle and Bustle of Black Friday Shopping

Ready for Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping deals?

Analysts expect consumer spending this holiday season to be up slightly from last year. That means whether you plan on heading to Best Buy to score a new plasma HDTV or Toys R Us for something called Stinky the Garbage Truck, you could be facing bigger crowds.

The annual holiday spending survey by the Consumer Federation of America found that 10 percent of participants said they would increase their holiday spending this year. The U.S. Commerce Department says spending is already up, with household purchases advancing 0.4 percent in October.

Westfield, the county's largest owner of retail space would not release mall-specific sales information for its seven shopping centers but did say people are ready to shop.

"From customers, we are hearing that value is still an important consideration but there is also a sense of pent-up demand," said Michele Predko, regional marketing director for Westfield in San Diego.

Predko added that industry trends are predicting both an increase in number of shoppers and higher sales for this year.

"Although cautious, we are hopeful and optimistic. Customer traffic has been stronger and continues to build and our retailers are working very hard to make this holiday season a success," she said.

Hours at Westfield shopping centers vary from location to location and even store by store. Customers should check Westfield.com for specific store and center hours.

Numerous retailers are projecting a better holiday season than last year. The National Retail Federation has forecast November and December holiday sales will increase by 2.3 percent from a year ago. This increase is the largest since 2006.

San Diego-based Cricket Communications is one of those companies hoping for a rewarding holiday season. A local executive for Cricket said Blackberry and Android smart phones will continue to top holiday gift lists this year. The local wireless firm said it expects to attract more customers than last year.

A spokesman for Walmart told Patch its customers are excited for Friday. Steven Restivo, a Walmart spokesman, said while the big-box retailer will have some great deals this week, its focus is on providing value to customers right up until Christmas Day.

"One of the big differentials for us this year is our 'price match' guarantee where we will price match competitors' ads on Black Friday," said Restivo. "Customers simply bring in competitors' ads and Walmart will match the price of any identical product right at the register."

The majority of Walmart stores were to be open on Thanksgiving and stay open right into Friday; all others would open at midnight.

Making a plan is the best way to find the best deals on Black Friday. Keep your eyes and ears open for commercials and scour the Internet for the best sales and the best times to visit your favorite shops.

Old Navy in Fashion Valley was actually open on Thanksgiving Day. Bath & Body Works, Victoria's Secret and Disney opened at midnight Friday in that location. JCPenney opens at 3 a.m., followed by Macy's at 4 a.m.

Across the county, Kohl's opens at 3 a.m., Target at 4 a.m. and Sport Chalet at 5 a.m.

Best Buy opens at 5 a.m. The electronics retailer will start passing out tickets up to two hours before opening to ensure the safety of both employees and shoppers. A limited number of ticket holders will be let in at one time.

The Apple store in Fashion Valley is open for 17 hours Friday for your shopping pleasure. The doors open at 5 a.m. and the shelves are sure to be stocked with iPads, iPods, iMacs, iPhones and all other Mac-related products. And just to keep you on your iToes, the other stores in the county have different hours. The Apple store in University Town Center is open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Carlsbad is open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Otay Ranch from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and North County in Escondido from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

There are nine Toys R Us locations in San Diego County from Escondido through Chula Vista and out to Grossmont. If you have not received your Great Big Christmas Book in the mail yet, find it online at toysrus.com. You can find everything from bicycles to Baby Einstein toys. Don't even bother looking for the Justin Bieber dolls; they already sold out on pre-order. Top toy picks include Pillow Pets, stuffed animals that unfold into a pillow, singing plush dolls called Sing-a-Ma-Gigs and the classic Mr. Potato Head.

For those of you not brave enough to participate in competitive shopping or those of you who like to sleep in, QVC or the Home Shopping Network might be the way to go. No need to even change out of your sweatpants. All you need is a TV, a phone and a credit card for instant shopping gratification.