Consumer competition fierce on Black Friday
Retailers’ expectations may have been low for the start of the holiday shopping season, but the competition was fierce. In Omaha, Neb., a 52 year-old woman was knocked to the ground when hundreds of people rushed the doors at the early morning opening of the Nebraska Furniture Mart. Diana McKeever received several stitches to her knee and was released from the hospital.
In Greendale, Wis., Doreen Schellhase, 46, her two daughters and her son’s girlfriend donned Santa hats and prepared to storm the Target store before its 7 a.m. opening, equipped with two-way radios to best the competition.
And Marvin Takar, who went shopping the day after Thanksgiving for the first time ever, had no idea what he was in for.
“It’s unbelievable,” said the 42-year-old printer, staring in amazement at the swarms of shoppers at Ala Moana Shopping Center in Honolulu. “It’s a madhouse.”
Early bird specials and marketing gimmicks drew bargain hunters to stores across the country Friday in what retailers hoped would be a momentum-building kickoff to the holiday shopping season.
Major retailers including Sears, Toys “R” Us and Wal-Mart, as well as several mall operators, said shopper traffic was at least as healthy as the day after Thanksgiving a year ago.
The big question is whether the crowds will keep coming in the next few weeks to boost what is expected to be a lackluster holiday season.
In a scene played out across the country, hundreds of people lined up at a Wal-Mart in Abington, Mass. before the discounter opened its doors at 6 a.m. A big draw were 27-inch TVs priced at $149.
“I usually go shopping the day before Christmas but I figured with the sale they’re having, I’d come today,” said Linda Maccarrone, who joined the line at 5:15 a.m. She was looking for toys.
Retailers reported particularly brisk sales of sweaters and outerwear, DVDs and electronic gadgets, and hot toys like Hasbro’s Fur Real Friend, an interactive cat, and Mattel’s Chicken Dance Elmo.
While consumers have helped prop up the economy over the past year, they have been reluctant to splurge amid concern about jobs and stock market losses. A lack of must-have items and the sluggish economy are expected to result in a slow holiday season, which is also six days shorter than last year.
“Expectations are low. Clearly, there is still considerable amount of uncertainty – the prospect of war in Iraq and the economy,” said Michael P. Niemira, vice president of Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Ltd.
The National Retail Federation predicts total holiday retail sales, which exclude restaurant and auto sales, will increase by 4 percent to $209 billion.
That would make it the weakest increase since 1997.
At Tysons Corner Center, the largest mall in Virginia, shops were busy but not overwhelmed, and parking was available.
those who did not want to scout out a space. The longest lines in the mall were for a picture with Santa Claus.
Alina Cunningham, 31, of Milwaukee, said she was cutting back a bit this year after buying a house.
“We were spending so much on kids that already had everything,” she said. “I stopped that.”
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On the Net:
National Retail Federation: http://www.nrf.com