Black Friday 2025: This Major VA Retailer Named The Best Place To Shop

With Black Friday nearing, Virginia shoppers may be wondering where they can save a coin as they gather Christmas gifts for loved ones.

Personal finance experts say the top answer is JCPenny, the best place to shop on Black Friday.

The list of best Black Friday retailers was released Monday be WalletHub, which analyzed 3,100 deals from 13 of the nation's largest retailers' Black Friday ad scans.

Big-box retailer JCPenny, with 16 stores in Virginia and holding the No. 1 slot on WalletHub's list for the last seven years, boasts a 74.08 percent average discount rate this year, according to the study. The price cut is a 2.12 percent difference from 2024, when its average rate was 76.20.

"JCPenney offers some steep discounts on extremely expensive items this year, too. If you’re ready to propose to that special someone, you can get a $14,583.32 diamond engagement ring for just $3,999.99. In addition to significant markdowns on jewelry and apparel, JCPenney has great deals on appliances, offering savings of 57.6% on average," WalletHub reported.

Customers in search of gifts can find more than jewelry at JCPenny. The national retailer also supplies clothing, home decor, beauty products and toys.

The top Black Friday retailers and their average discounts this year are:

1. JCPenny, 74.08 percent
2. Belk, 72.42 percent
3. Kohl's, 45.39 percent
4. Macy's, 44.46 percent
5. The Home Depot, 35.63 percent
6. BJ's, 31.26 percent
7. Amazon, 29.63 percent
8. Target, 29.36 percent
9. Newegg, 28.80 percent
10. Best Buy, 28.58 percent
11. Walmart 28.54 percent
12. Dell, 19.94 percent
13. Costco, 15.08 percent

“The best Black Friday deals can save you up to 86% this year, but when you’re bombarded by ads and there are so many places to shop, it can be hard to decide where to actually spend your money," WalletHub analayst Chip Lupo said in the report. "Knowing which retailers actually offer significant deals compared to their normal prices can save you a lot of time and prevent buyer’s remorse."

Kohl's dominated in the apparel and accessories category, as well as in customer electronics. Belk has the best sales for jewelry, Newegg holds the best sales title for furniture, according to the WalletHub study.

No retailer performed better than JCPenny in toys, appliances and all other categories.

Some deals are being offered a week out from Black Friday, including at Amazon, JCPenny and Macy's. This give early birds a chance to take advantage of sales ahead of the holiday's annual observance, which is on Nov. 28 this year.

Walmart's Black Friday shopping starts at midnight Tuesday, but Walmart+ members gained access to the sales from Nov. 14-16. Walmart+ members will also score five hours early access to Cyber Monday deals on Dec. 1.

The Black Friday tradition stretches back to the 1950s, when Philadelphia police officers were faced with an inundation of shoppers and tourists ahead of the Army-Navy football game held the following Saturday, according to History writer Sarah Pruitt. Officers worked long shifts and battled with shoplifters and extra crowds in the frenzy.

At the heart of the day were the Pennsylvania town's retailers and boosters, who attempted to change Black Friday to "Big Friday" in 1961 "to remove the negative connotations," Pruitt wrote.

However, the new name did not stick as the popular shopping day was reimagined as a positive experience in the late 1980s. Back then, the day after Thanksgiving was the moment "when America’s stores finally turned a profit," Pruitt wrote.

Black Friday has now remained a staple in some American households looking to save.

See WalletHub's full methodology.