Two steps into Muji, and you’re somehow a world away from everything. 

The honking horns and bustling shopping traffic in Soho dissipates. The delightful but seedy sway of Hollywood Boulevard loosens its grip on you a bit.

You relax. For a second, you even might forget where you are.

There are hundreds of pages of circulars, thousands of items, and millions in sales to be made this Black Friday. With the prospect of a positive holiday shopping season ahead (consumers are ready to spend more than $1000 each!), ‘tis the season for retailers to go all out to get you in-store and to shop online this Black Friday.

The demise of Toys ‘R’ Us earlier this year means there’s about $2 billion in toy sales on the table this holiday season for other retailers to snatch up.

Always ones to maximize opportunities, the remaining toy destinations, like Walmart, Target, and Amazon, are working overtime to fill that void in the market. Even grocery players like Kroger are getting into the game! For all of them, scooping up more of your toy purchases this November and December is anything BUT playtime.

First, some perspective.