JCPenney is kicking off its Black Friday sales earlier than many of its competitors this year

The 2 p.m. start time is an earlier kick-off than many of its rivals, including Macy's, Target, and Sears.
Retailers have come under fire in recent years for starting Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving. As a result, several have started to buck the trend and stay closed.
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Eager JCPenney shoppers will be able to snap up its Black Friday deals almost immediately after they've finished Thanksgiving dinner this year.

The US department store chain announced that it will open its doors at 2 p.m. local time on Thanksgiving Day; the deals will commence online the day before. A spokesperson did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment on when stores will close and reopen on Black Friday.

This is earlier than some of its rivals such as Target, Kohl's, Sears, and Macy's, which will open later in the afternoon on Thursday.

Retailers have come under fire in recent years for starting Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving Day, and as a result, several have started to buck the trend and stay closed.

Several retailers including Costco, Barnes & Noble, and Lowe's have said they will be closed on Thanksgiving, according to a list compiled by bestblackfriday.com .

Some have likely decided it's not worth their while as consumers are increasingly shopping for deals online. According to Adobe Analytics , online shopping is expected to "hit new highs" this year, with retailers pulling in as much as $7.5 billion on Black Friday an increase of more than 20% from 2018.

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JCPenney is kicking off its Black Friday sales earlier than many of its competitors this year

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