Black Friday: Toy store price wars begin

The fight for the best deals on toys has begun: First Toys R Us struck early by announcing its hot toy list in September and opening hundreds of pop-up stores in key retail locations across the country to make shopping for toys more convenient. The toy retailer also offers a layaway plan so customers can clinch the hottest toys before they sell out. Now Target has now entered the fray, announcing new price cuts on more than 1,000 toys, 250 of which are exclusive to Target.

While Target has not published an official "Hot Toys" List like Toys R Us and Kmart, Target's Merchandise Manager for toys and sporting goods, Casey Carl, emphasized in a statement that Target's toy discounts will encompass popular toys such as Nerf Stampede, Sing-a-ma-jigs, Zoobles, Kung Zhu hamsters, and HEXBUGS as well as classic toys that include LEGOs and Barbies.

Not to be outdone, Walmart retaliated in the toy price war by announcing toy discounts on items listed on their competitors' hot toys lists. Many popular toys are currently priced at $5, $10 and $15.

We're still six weeks away from Black Friday, with 10 weeks until Christmas and already retailers are discounting and price matching. If this is any indication of the season to come, it will be a very active season.

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