Black Friday weekend expected to draw 140 million shoppers, including 33 million on Thanksgiving

Nearly one-fourth of consumers polled earlier this month by the National Retail Federation, or 33 million people, said they plan to shop on Thanksgiving Day. And 69 percent of them said they had shopped either online or in stores last Thanksgiving.

But that still leaves Black Friday as the undisputed first choice for holiday shoppers, with 97 million people, or 69 percent of shoppers, hitting malls or shopping centers that day.

Nearly 44 percent polled (61 million) will shop on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and 24.2 percent will shop on Sunday (34 million), according to Prosper Insights & Analytics.

America's Research Group in Summerville, S.C., which tracks consumer spending, said retailers can expect Black Friday crowds that are nearly 20 percent bigger than last year, ready and willing to spend.

And 31 percent of those shoppers are looking for deep discounts of 40 percent to 50 percent off.

"If retailers give consumers mega discounts throughout the season, it will be a very strong season," ARG Chairman and Chief Executive Britt Beemer said in a statement.

But at the same time, "consumers are feeling better overall this year about their debt (and) their jobs, and they're willing to pull out the plastic," he said. "We're seeing a better sense of freedom when it comes to spending money, and more saying, 'If I like what I see, I'll buy it.'"

And in another bright sign for retailers, Discover Financial Services reports that Americans plan to spend an average of $1,014 this holiday season, up 20 percent from 2012.

Moreover, 31 percent of Americans expect to spend between $500 and $1,000, while 19 percent expect to spend between $1,000 and $5,000.

Thirty-one percent of men and 22 percent of women say they will spend more this year than last year. And 84 percent of shoppers said they plan to shop both in-store and online.

"As the official kickoff to the holiday season, retailers are prepared to pull out all the stops for their online and in-store shoppers, including offering sweepstakes with cash prizes, free gifts with purchase and even exclusive opportunities to score top gift items before everyone else," National Retail Federation President and Chief Executive Matthew Shay said in a statement.

View full sizePetSmart stores are giving away stockings filled with pet treats and more than $100 in coupons to the first 100 customers in its stores at 7 a.m. on Black Friday.Petsmart

 JCPenney is again giving away holiday snowglobes to the first customers in its stores at 4 a.m. on Black Friday. PetSmart stores are giving away stockings filled with pet treats and more than $100 in coupons to the first 100 customers in its stores at 7 a.m.

Staples is offering a Samsung Galaxy S4 mobile phone for a penny, to shoppers who sign a two-year contract or agree a two-year upgrade.

How are people finding out about such you-gotta-be-kidding-me deals?

Sixty-seven percent of bargain hunters report scouring newspaper inserts as they decide which stores to hit first.

"The circular is still an important tool for shoppers when planning their purchases," John Ross, president of Inmar Analytics said in a statement. "Newspaper inserts are convenient, transportable, visually informative, very useful for product and price comparisons, and effective in creating excitement regarding a prospective purchase."

The retail federation says half the consumers polled are searching inserts, 33.5 percent are getting emails directly from their favorite retailers, 27 percent are checking out retailers' websites, and 22 percent are checking out coupon websites for deals.