Black Friday was bright
Neither cold, nor rain nor lines around the block deterred shoppers in the Hudson Valley, who bundled up and braved a damp November chill to take part in Black Friday”™s “midnight madness,” which is getting earlier every year. Some big-box retailers chose to keep doors open the entire day on Thanksgiving or to open three to four hours before the rush for bargains began.
More than 212 million Americans spent $45 billion over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, primarily on electronics and gift cards, according to statistics compiled by BIGresearch for The National Retail Federation.
The NRF declared Black Friday a complete success, giving retailers hope but warning that a day or a weekend does not a season make.
Women spent an average of $316, while men averaged $417; overall, the average consumer spent $365, up from $343 in 2009.
“There is a shift,” said Ellen Davis, NRF”™s vice president of marketing. “More was spent on discretionary items and many are ”˜self-gifting,”™ with women buying more jewelry and men spending more on electronics. But whether it is gift-giving or ”˜self-gifting,”™ for retailers, it”™s still good news.”
Another difference between 2009 and 2010 spending, said Davis: “Last year, it was all about price; it had to absolutely be the best deal. This year, consumers were still looking for the right price, but they were also concerned about quality.”
That was good news for department stores, which saw more customers than in 2009.
Area malls reported heavy traffic, particularly at electronics stores.
“There were nearly 1,500 people waiting on line for Best Buy to open,” said Leemarie DellAccio, marketing manager for the Palisades Center in Nyack. “The majority of our stores reported an increase over 2009, and we had an extremely busy Saturday and Sunday ”“ honestly, it was a great atmosphere for shoppers and retailers.”
Kate Waage, marketing director for Poughkeepsie Galleria, was encouraged by the heavy pedestrian traffic the mall saw on Black Friday. “We had a few midnight openings, which was new for us. The rest of the mall was open by 5 a.m., an hour earlier than last year … and we actually had a couple of stores that stayed open on Thanksgiving ”“ Sears and Old Navy.”
Waage said stores reported door-busters and early bird specials ended up being sold out very quickly and “customers were definitely out buying … they are continuing to offer specials throughout December, so we”™re hoping for a strong holiday season compared to 2009.”
Rebecca Flach, vice president of marketing for the New York State Retail Council in Albany, which represents 5,000 stores of all sizes, said retailers were “relatively positive ”“ brick and mortar stores are always going to do well on Black Friday ”“ some said traffic was steady the entire weekend ”“ but for others, it didn”™t turn out the way they thought it would.”
Liz Pollack, marketing manager for the Cross County Shopping Center in Yonkers, said the biggest difference between this year and last was in buying activity.
“I think retailers have come to terms that people are buying for themselves and are taking advantage of the discounts rather than buying only gifts,” she said.
Pollack said about 10 stores opened their doors Thanksgiving night for the first time. “It”™s a new trend, with retailers buying themselves an extra six to eight hours of sales to help beat last year”™s numbers.”
Online shopping is becoming more prolific as access to broadband continues to widen. “People can shop in their pajamas while they drink their morning coffee,” said Flach, “and they can shop late at night after the kids are in bed. No fighting traffic or dealing with the weather. Retailers don”™t care if they are in the store or online ”“ as long as it is their store and their merchandise.”
Online shopping may never replace the lure of Black Friday, particularly for those who have turned it into a tradition almost as sacred as Thanksgiving Day itself ”“ but it”™s a formidable tool for all retailers, whether large or small. More than 33 percent of Black Friday shoppers let their fingers do the walking this year, whether by PDA or home computer.
Although they are not discounted, the NRF reported nearly 25 percent of purchases were gift cards. Another “plastic” standby, the credit card, remained tucked in wallets this year, said the NRF. Consumers are using cash and debit cards at the register.
Kelly Liyakasa contributed to this article.