WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WOWO): Advertisements promote steep discounts on Black Friday, but are the early hours and crowds worth the hype? 

According to new research from financial website WalletHub, 68% of items will have a major discount on Black Friday. But time is money, says Purdue University consumer expert Richard Feinberg. “You have to decide whether or not the $25 you save by going to 'Company X' is worth getting in the car and going there or ordering it online and waiting for it,” Feinberg told WOWO News this week. “For many of us, it may not be worth it.”

The survey found 17 percent of Black Friday items advertised as discounted actually cost more than what they currently sell for on Amazon.

Still, Black Friday shopping can be both a big headache and a fun family tradition, depending on who you are. “They like hunting and gathering, they like searching for the best deal,” Feinberg says. “It's a bonding experience between mother and daughter and father and son. And they go out, they talk, and they get a bite to eat. It's a fun activity.”