Another Black Friday is upon us, the day when people love to shop above all others. Personally, this day always leaves me feeling conflicted. I love saving a buck or two, but I hate both crowds and getting up early. Sleeping late usually wins.

But Black Friday is different this year, just like everything else in the COVID-19 era. Retailers simply don’t know what to expect this time. It’s widely believed that in-store shopping will be way down because of the pandemic. But just how much down, nobody knows. Many stores are hedging their bets by spreading big discounts and sales throughout November. And, of course, the push to buy online has never been stronger. But you can bet your bottom dollar that at least some die-hard traditionalists will be there in person, snatching up bargains before they’re gone.