Consumers: On your mark. Get set. Shop! Black Friday ? traditionally the biggest shopping day of the year and the official start of the holiday shopping season ? has finally arrived, as shoppers hunt for sales and discounts, while retailers hope to make up for any losses accrued in the year thus far.
Malls and department stores throughout the area plan to open well before dawn, as shoppers will line up outside entrances, eager to hunt for bargains.
“There?s no time to rest [today],” said Jessica Bloom, manager of White Marsh andOwings Mills malls. “I?ll be there very early, and I?d say I spend about 97 percent of my time walking throughout the center.”
Retailers, after hearing numerous forecasts that this could be one of the slowest shopping seasons in recent memory, hope today will signal the beginning of two months of nonstop consumer spending.
“It?s by far the most important time of the year for retailers,” said Tom Saquella, president of the Maryland Retailers Association. “It?s the make-or-break time.”
According to a Consumer Reports survey, 62 percent of consumers have not started their holiday shopping yet, up from 57 percent who had not started at this time last year.
Twenty-four percent of shoppers plan to hit stores today, up from the 20 percent who shopped on Black Friday last year, according to the survey.
U.S. households are expected to spend about $471 on gifts during the holiday season, up from last year?s estimate of $449, according to a survey done by the New York-based Conference Board.
The big gifts this year are flat-panel televisions, both LCD and plasma, according to Consumer Reports. About two out of 10 shoppers said they plan to buy a flat-panel TV as a gift or after the holidays.
Steven Restivo, director of corporate affairs for Wal-Mart?s Northeast region, said the store was offering sales on high-definition televisions, including a 32-inch LCD HDTV for $448 and a 42-inch LCD HDTV for $798.
“We know, especially now with energy prices so high, our customers are budget-crunched,” Restivo said. “We expect our stores to be busy again.”
Staff writer Aaron Cahall contributed to this article.
