At Walmart, the nation's largest retailer, some workers walked off the job in protest. The demonstrations are part of a nationwide campaign to pressure Walmart into paying workers more and providing better benefits.

The protests didn't appear to hurt business. Retail expert Michelle Madhok said consumers find it hard to pass up so many deals.

"Electronics are going to be huge again. There's the iPad mini that everybody wants, the iPhone and for kids there's the LeapPad2," said Madhok.

In addition to offering cheap deals, retailers are expanding their hours, and many stores are offering free services and shipping. Analysts say it's all part of an effort to beat the competition.