Black Friday

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are fast approaching, but according to one research group, consumers have crowned the retailer they think provides the best value: Amazon.com. The online retailer has many of its brick-and-mortar competitors hustling to compete. Rivals such as Best Buy, Wal-Mart and Target have unleashed holiday initiatives such as price-matching guarantees, same-day delivery and shopping aisles synced with smartphones through QR codes . Target trailed Amazon in second place in the BrandIndex report from consumer research firm YouGov.

After the Black Friday shopping madness, small boutiques in Silver Lake were anticipating customers who were less about giant malls and more about supporting local business. Dubbed Small Business Saturday , the shopping event was invented by American Express in 2010 to encourage consumers to spend some dollars at neighborhood shops and independent retailers. The day has high-profile supporters such as New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and President Obama, who took his two daughters to a bookstore in Arlington , Va., on Saturday.

A few minutes after Wal-Mart store employees started letting the crowd in 12 people at a time, the security guard manning the front of the line at the Panorama City store switched between two instructions to the crowd. "Calm down, people. You have to wait when you get inside anyway," and "Walk, don't run!" Stores across the Southland were opening up before midnight Thursday. Store officials were wary after incidents in years past, such as one last Thanksgiving at a Wal-Mart in Porter Ranch; a shopper there pepper sprayed fellow customers, injuring at least seven of them.

Southern California didn't get a big Thanksgiving storm, but that didn't stop area ski resorts from opening for those craving early powder. Mammoth and Lake Tahoe areas are open too. But this early in the season, it's always best to check conditions online before you head out. All-day tickets at Bear Mountain and Snow Summit sold out Friday, but skiers and riders can make reservations  online for Saturday ($49 for adults for an all-day lift...

If shopping is a sport, does that mean you can burn serious calories doing it? Yes, and that's good news to all you Black Friday and weekend shoppers hitting the stores. An average 150-pound person can burn about 470 to 500 calories in three hours shopping -- not too shabby and no doubt needed after yesterday's turkey, stuffing and pie, which, for some, totaled thousands of calories. But you augment that by thinking of your shopping expedition as a workout sans gym. We spoke with Studio City-based personal trainer Robert Reames of Gold's Gym Fitness Institute about how to maximize those hours in the mall.

Gun maker Smith & Wesson had a strong second quarter as the consumer firearms market continues to grow, the company said this week. The Springfield, Mass., manufacturer said Thursday afternoon that it earned $21.2 million in profit, or 31 cents a share during the quarter ended Oct. 31. In the same period a year earlier, the company reported a loss of $1.6 million, or 2 cents a share. Revenue soared 48% to $136.6 million, from $92.3 million. The company's stock fluctuated in morning trading, swinging up to $11.25 a share -- a 3.7% surge -- before slumping down 7.7% to $10.01 a share.

Shoppers surged into an Urban Outfitters store on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica after midnight Friday and smashed a tall glass door, injuring about five people, authorities said. Paramedics treated a few shoppers for minor cuts but no one was transported to the hospital by ambulance, said Sgt. Marty Fine of the Santa Monica Police Department. "It was just too many people, too fast," Fine said. PHOTOS: The Black Friday rush Around midnight, at least 100 people had lined up for Urban Outfitters' Black Friday deals, which offered up to 50% off on some items.

Authorities arrested nine protesters, including a man wearing a priest's collar, outside a Wal-Mart in Paramount, Calif., for sitting down in the middle of a street and refusing to budge. Around noon Friday, Los Angeles sheriff's deputies peacefully handcuffed the four women and five men, arresting them on suspicion of illegally assembling. The nine were participating in a rally that drew about 400 Wal-Mart employees, union members and others agitating for better working conditions at the world's largest retailer.

For some bargain-hunters, Black Friday just isn't early enough. Around 6:30 p.m. Thursday, about 40 people stood outside Target at the Glendale Galleria, the line snaking onto Colorado Street. Honey Manuel of Silverlake was first in line, having been there since 2:30 p.m. "What I am doing now is an adventure," Manuel said as a band of teenagers stood nearby grooving to music playing from a phone inside the jacket pocket of their long- haired friend. PHOTOS: Black Friday shoppers hunt for deals In what is becoming something of a Thanksgiving tradition for retailers, businesses lured shoppers with Christmas sales several hours before the clock struck midnight Thursday, not long after some families cleared their tables of turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie. Across Southern California, shoppers were lining up for door-buster bargains, Black Friday deals and a shot at some of the most sought after gifts of the season.

A recent survey indicated that consumer confidence is at a five-year high, and Thursday night you could see signs of that optimism at the Target store at the Glendale Galleria, which was packed with customers in search of Black Friday deals. While more than 750 people waited their turn to get in, customers talked about signs of improvement in their personal finances. "This year is better than last year," said Natalio Perez, a 47-year-old Glendale resident. This year, he said, he's buying an extra, larger TV to replace a smaller one. Business at his small construction company is up about 60%, he said.