Americans flocked to stores that offered sales considered “too good to be true” this Thanksgiving weekend, hoping to get a head start on their holiday spending. However, this year brought the deals earlier and promised to keep them longer.
Nov. 29 marked this year’s Black Friday, the unofficial holiday dedicated to shoppers hoping to save money on gifts. Across America, major retailers (Macy’s, Best Buy and Wal-Mart) opened Thursday evening after many families had finished their Thanksgiving festivities.
For the first time since 2009, Black Friday spending declined, reinforcing projections that retailers would extend discounts further into the holiday season, according to Bloomberg Businessweek. Sales for Thursday and Friday rose 2.3 percent from last year, to $12.3 billion, according to a report released Saturday by ShopperTrak. Bill Martin, founder of ShopperTrak, pointed out the shifting paradigm in the retail world with many choosing to go out on Thanksgiving.
As for online shopping, on Cyber Monday, the biggest day of the year for e-commerce in the U.S., sales rose 18.4 percent to $1.735 billion, a record for a single day, according to ComScore. Dec. 2 marked this year’s Cyber Monday.
While 141 million people shopped, almost two million more than last year, the average consumer’s spending dropped 3.9 percent to $407.02, according to a survey commissioned by the National Retail Federation.
Autumn Dixon, a senior speech pathology major at Harding, shopped with a friend at Little Rock’s Park Plaza Mall. She said she enjoys the experience, but did not make a purchase this year.
“I think the earlier start takes away from the Thanksgiving holiday,” Dixon said. “I still waited until 1 a.m to go out instead of Thanksgiving night. It’s a holiday about being thankful for family above material possessions, but we have turned (Thanksgiving) into the most materialistic day in our country.”
Carl Craig, a senior graphic design student, shopped with his brother at St. Johns Town Center in Jacksonville, Fla. They left at midnight and returned home just before 3 a.m. with two pairs of socks to show for it.
“I like the change,” Craig said. “The stores I went to weren’t very crowded. I just didn’t see any ridiculously good deals.”
