A struggling economy, hot new technology and anxious retailers will combine to bring Black Friday frenzy earlier for shoppers in 2010 — much earlier than the traditional day-after-Thanksgiving event so prominent in American culture. Building on a trend established last year retailers will launch special events in late October and manufacturers will time new product launches as the waning days of summer give way to the shopping events of fall.

Experts from the Consumer Electronics Association say that last year’s experiments by Kmart, Wal-Mart and Best Buy were successful in bringing out shoppers and they expect even earlier sales this year. “We expect a longer Black Friday than ever this year. Retailers will be looking to drive momentum early, so expect very early promotions. Cyber Monday — it’s now Cyber Week. Events drive traffic; retailers have learned this, so expect more of it”.

Thanksgiving, however, still marks the start of the holiday shopping season and as a matter of tradition remains the true starting gun for shoppers. “We make Black Friday part of our Thanksgiving,” said Fran DeNoble, of Des Moines, Iowa. “While the pies are in the oven the night before Thanksgiving we will look at the ads, browse the web sites and map out our friday strategy. Some times we hardly buy anything but the thrill of the hunt sure makes it fun.”

Black Friday, post Thanksgiving sales