Nov. 19 (Bloomberg) -- Kohl’s Corp., the fourth-largest U.S. department-store chain, will let customers create shopping lists online to help them locate holiday specials before they set out to buy gifts.

Visitors to Kohls.com can print out pictures and prices of items that will be available the day after U.S. Thanksgiving, the traditional start of the holiday shopping season. The service is available from Nov. 22 through Nov. 27, the Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin-based chain said in a statement.

Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, Nov. 26, in the U.S. this year. The following day, known as “Black Friday,” merchants extend business hours and offer “door buster” discounts to attract customers. A trade group is predicting holiday sales may rise as little as 1 percent from last year as unemployment continues to curb consumer spending.

“In a tough economy for our customers, pre-shopping and planning their shopping are more important than ever because they really have to stretch their budgets,” Julie Gardner, Kohl’s chief marketing officer, said in a telephone interview yesterday. “If we have a list, we stay well within our budget more.”

Kohl’s stores will open at 4 a.m. on Black Friday. The company will offer “early bird” specials on some items and issue $10 coupons for every $50 spent at stores or online.

Kohl’s fell 72 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $54.70 at 4:15 p.m. yesterday in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The shares have gained 51 percent this year before today.

The U.S. jobless rate last month stood at 10.2 percent, a 26-year high. U.S. holiday sales may rise 1 percent to 2 percent this year, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers, a New York-based trade group.

To contact the reporter on this story: Inyoung Hwang in New York at ihwang7@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: November 19, 2009 00:01 EST