Amazon
Amazon said it had bolstered its fastest-growing unit, Amazon Web Services, by adding AWS OpsWorks, design software tools. IBTimes

With Halloween just having ended, many are still gorging on candy, packing away Halloween decorations and hanging up costumes deep in their closets. But with Thanksgiving approaching, retailers have one thing on their minds: Black Friday.

That's why for Black Friday 2012, Amazon did not hesitate in starting its sales now -- 22 days early -- instead of the day after Thanksgiving and the perennial online shopping extravaganza, Cyber Monday. You can start shopping early at Amazon's Black Friday page.

"Why wait all the way to Black Friday Deals Week for Black Friday specials? That's what we thought," Amazon wrote. "So we've kicked off a little pre-party and we're counting down to Black Friday Deals Week with early Black Friday deals."

Amazon said from Nov. 1 until Nov. 18, the online retailer will have Black Friday deals and discounts on videos games, some electronics sales, low prices on blu-rays and DVDs, magazine subscription specials, toys, clothing, shoes, jewelry and more. In addition, Amazon will have a Deal of the Day bargain which changes day-to-day.

And that's not all. Amazon has expanded its Cyber Monday, the first Monday after Thanksgiving, to Cyber Week, beginning on Nov. 25.

For the first week of sales, Amazon launched its Black Friday Video Games Deals Week specials, including $50 off Xbox 360 consoles as well as bonus offers on video games like Halo 4, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and LEGO Lord of the Rings.

Last year, Amazon also started its sales early on Nov. 1. This year, Amazon also launched its Electronics Gift List, “a curated list of new and top rated items, organized by category and gift recipient, so shoppers can easily discover the best gifts for everyone on their list.”

With Amazon's early launch of sales and discounts, you'd guess that another retailer would join in on the early Black Friday festivities and you're right. Walmart, so as not to fall behind, also released their pre-Black Friday ads and sales for its "Ultimate Online Specials" with deals on video games and consoles, electronics, toys, home goods and more.

Below is a list of items and products Amazon said will be discounted during its Black Friday 2012 sales.

- Panasonic VIERA ST50 Plasma TV’s and E50 LED TVs

- Samsung Series 9 Premium Ultrabook (silver)

- Nikon Camera with 18x Zoom

- Xbox 360 250GB with Kinect

- JumpSport Elite 14-Foot Trampoline with Enclosure

- Up to 40 percent on select Alex Toys

- Street Surfing Amped Pro Scooters

- Buy three or more select Hasbro Games, get the lowest price game free

- Up to 60 percent off children’s books, including Disney Bedtime Favorites

- Up to 50 percent off select winter clothing, including outerwear and cold weather accessories

- Stuhrling Men's Symphony Aristocrat Executive Automatic Skeleton Watch

- Peugeot Women’s Diamond Accented Watch

- Select Bosch tools and accessories

- Up to 60 percent off popular TV series, including Seasons One and Two of The Walking Dead

- Casio 76-Key Premium Keyboard Package