Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and even Small Business Saturday — these days are synonymous with wallet-saving deals and the kickoff to holiday shopping.

As these days swell in popularity following the post-pandemic haze, a question still lingers: Are these deals worth the hassle?

Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, has been one of the most chaotic retail shopping days of the year. Large crowds and lines can become listless, leading to dangerous incidents. Retail workers across the country can recount their most dramatic Black Friday stories, ranging from customers calling emergency services over price-matching deals, to tearing down the walls of a shopping mall.

Potential consumers who may want to join the nearly 180 million Americans who shop from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday may want to brace themselves for retail chaos and possible scams.

Doing some price research is a smart strategy to see if the discounts are worth it.

"Sometimes a good sale is really hard to detect because you're just being bombarded with 'Oh, we've got this great sale and it's X percent off or Y percent off,' and there's no context at all," John Boyd, co-founder of price-comparison app ShopSavvy, told the Boston Herald.

Choosing to shop on Black Friday also depends on what items have discounts.

Historically, the categories that receive the greatest discounts, and the most attention, are electronics, computers, appliances, sporting goods, and toys, according to Adobe Analytics. Black Friday is usually the best day to get deals on kitchen goods, clothes, tools, and beauty products, Dealnews reported.

Finding the best deals is where the trouble lies, especially when retailers across the country offer a wide array of discounted items.

In a report from Fit Small Business, customers who prefer to do their shopping at stores typically go to Walmart, Target, and shopping malls, as they offer the most consistent discounts. The drawbacks are the long checkout lines and the heavily congested aisles.

Fights in major retailers have drawn attention on social media, which has led to distrust among customers, with 58% choosing to skip in-person shopping due to large crowds, reported Fit Small Business.

As Americans begin to fully come out of the pandemic, some may need to be reminded to stay safe amid holiday chaos and practice hygienic routines. Crowds are coming back to stores after the pandemic, according to the Associated Press.

Along with avoiding online scams, store shopping can also be therapeutic for some people.

"Research suggests there's actually a lot of psychological and therapeutic value when you're shopping — if done in moderation, of course," clinical psychologist Scott Bea, PsyD., told the Cleveland Clinic.

"Whether you're adding items to your shopping cart online or visiting your favorite boutique for a few hours, you do get a psychological and emotional boost. Even window shopping or online browsing can bring brain-fueled happiness. But again, you want to make sure it doesn't get out of hand."

Shopping with restraint is an important part of a safe and fun Black Friday. When shoppers plan ahead to find the best deals and behave appropriately to avoid unfortunate incidents, Black Friday helps them find the best deals of the year.

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