For years, the main event for bargain shoppers has been Black Friday. The day after Thanksgiving is typically when retailers roll out their biggest sales in an effort to entice holiday shoppers into their stores.

However, the tide appears to be turning against Black Friday. According to Nielsen's Holiday Spending Forecast, 85 percent of you will stay home on Black Friday, and almost half of those polled said they plan to shop online during the Cyber Monday sales ““ those are the online deals you can find the Monday after Thanksgiving.

The Nielsen findings make sense to me. Who wants to be out in the freezing cold to shop in the middle of the night or on Thanksgiving Day when you can find the same (or better) deals while surfing the web on your computer?

‘Black Weekend' survival guide

So rather than Black Friday, we seem to have a Black Weekend or in the case of some retailers, such as Walmart, a Black Week.

To make the most of the sales, here's what you need to know.

• Black Friday deals no longer start on Friday for most stores. Walmart and Best Buy are opening their stores at 6pm on Thanksgiving while Toys “˜R Us is unlocking the doors at 5pm. However, 8pm seems to be the most common starting time for stores such as Sears, Target, Kohl's and Macy's among others. Meijer is one of the few remaining purists with their Black Friday sale starting at 6am on Friday.
• Walmart is upping the ante this year with its Christmas Ad Match. Buy something between November 1 and December 24, find a lower price advertised elsewhere and Walmart will issue you a gift card for the difference.
• Many Black Friday deals are available online, but retailers still want you in the store where you can make impulse purchases. Best Buy, for example, plans to have Midnight Mystery Doorbusters that you can preview online but must buy in the store.
• Don't forget your local drug stores. Rite Aid, Walgreens and CVS all usually have great Black Friday sales. The stores aren't quite as crazy, and you can combine the deals with each store's loyalty program for an even bigger pay-off. For Black Friday coupon match-ups, watch the Enlightened Shopping section on SavingsAngel.

If you must shop on Black Friday

There is no reason to fight the crowds on Black Friday unless it is a truly amazing deal. Personal finance site 24/7 Wall St. did an analysis of Black Friday ads and say these are the best buys for the day. Most consumer experts agree that you'll likely find the same or better deals online, and at retailers after Black Friday, or after Christmas.Plus, don't forget Walmart's ad match policy – which expands deal availability beyond this Friday.

• Element 50″ 1080p LED HDTV being sold at Target for $229, a 62 percent discount
• Nikon L320 digital camera being sold at Target for $99, a 57 percent discount
• Kindle Fire 7″ HD 16G tablet being sold at Staples for $79, a 53 percent discount
• Sony Wifi Blu-Ray player being sold at Target for $55, a 48 percent discount
• Dell Inspiron 15 laptop being sold by Dell for $199, a 47 percent discount

Tips for shopping online

Finally, let's wrap up with some tips for online shopping. I love shopping online, and here are a couple things I have learned over the years.

• Don't be surprised if website speeds are a bit slow the day of a major sale. I cannot overstate just how huge of an e-commerce event the next few weeks are. If you have troubles, use the sales ads for browsing and then search online using the item code.
• Go to the store for the things you really, really want. Retailers are getting better at this, but it is still not uncommon to buy something online on Black Friday and then get an email the following week saying “Oops, it's out of stock.”
• For last minute sales or to make sure you aren't missing any great deals, you can check out the Black Friday and Cyber Monday forums in our Angel Community on SavingsAngel.com. You can also watch FatWallet.com and SlickDeals.net for late breaking deals.
• Finally, don't forget to check shipping prices and return policies. If you decide you really don't need that 50″ TV, can you return it? Also, is there a restocking fee? Such fees can easily negate your holiday savings.

Despite the blurring of lines on exactly when the best holiday shopping takes place this year, I'd love to hear about your best holiday shopping or Black Friday score. Tell me about it in the comments or on our Facebook page.