In an updated analysis of Black Friday/Cyber Monday buzz, NM Incite found that 2011 Black Friday Buzz has already more than doubled the total from 2010.

Recent Nielsen surveys of shoppers show that, much like in 2010, the majority of consumers (80%) are avoiding in-store Black Friday shopping.

As U.S. retailers ramp up for post-Thanksgiving holiday shopping, consumers increasingly turn online to search for the best deals and make plans for Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. Since one of the top reasons for using social media is to receive deals and discounts, NM Incite, a joint Nielsen/McKinsey company, took a look at online buzz about Black Friday and Cyber Monday over the past two years.

As Black Friday and the holiday season approaches, Apple appears to be the consumer electronics brand to beat. A recent Nielsen survey shows kids’ holiday gaming and electronics appetites are whet by a number of top-selling Apple devices – with the iPad leading the pack.

With Black Friday rapidly approaching, parents may want to get up early Friday morning to find deals, as a recent survey shows their kids are eyeing some wallet-stretching electronics this holiday season.

A new survey by The Nielsen Company shows that nearly one in five Americans will shop the Friday after Thanksgiving (aka Black Friday) and more than half (61 percent) plan to spend $100 – $500.

With American consumers set to spend less over holidays, many are focused on stretching their dollars as Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year, approaches.

Nielsen Online reports that traffic from home and work to the Holiday eShopping Index increased 10 percent year over year on Black Friday, growing from 28.8 million unique visitors in 2007 to 31.7 million unique visitors in 2008 across more than 120 representative online retailers.
“Even with the weakening economy, an unstable stock market and a rising unemployment rate, Black Friday traffic to online retail sites grew at a double digit rate this year,” said Ken Cassar, vice president, industry insights, Nielsen Online.
Black Friday Online Conversations and Consumer Perceptions
To gauge …

Black Friday, the Friday following Thanksgiving is traditionally the busiest shopping day of the year. Many retailers use this time to offer “door-buster” deals – ridiculously low prices on key items that entice eager shoppers to line up outside hours before the store opens. Nielsen has prepared a Top 10 list of common mistakes made by retailers who are trying to play and win in the competitive world of Black Friday.
Mistake #1: Sticking to traditional categories
Who says supermarkets can’t sell video games or that electronics stores can’t sell …

By Emily Heitkamp, Nielsen Online
When details of the global financial crisis overtook the headlines in mid-September, consumers and brands began assessing their position in the economy and strategizing for the downturn. Retailers have reacted by announcing plans to offer deep discounts for the holidays, from high-end to mass-merchandise. Some have rolled out deals in advance of Black Friday. With reports of more and better deals from retailers and a bleak economic outlook for consumers, it would be natural to assume that consumers are hungry to take advantage of opportunities to …