Black Friday continues to mark the unofficial start of the U.S. holiday shopping season, drawing more shoppers into stores than any other day of the year.
According to The Associated Press, shoppers flocked to stores early Friday, hunting for discounts despite consumer confidence falling this month amid a federal government shutdown, slow hiring, and persistent inflation, The Conference Board reported.
At Macy’s flagship store in New York City’s Herald Square, customers lined up shortly after the 6 a.m. opening to browse sales on clothing, shoes, linens, and cosmetics. Footwear alone featured discounts ranging from 40% to 50%.
Nicholas Menasche, 19, from Queens, shopped with his mother for shoes and clothing before planning to hit Best Buy for video games.
An intern at a bank, he said he expected to spend about $1,200 this season, roughly the same as last year. “It’s a great tradition,” Menasche said. “The stores are open really early.”
Major malls across the country reported strong traffic.
The Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, and Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, New Jersey, both experienced heavy customer flow, with officials calling Black Friday their busiest day of the year.
“We are off to a great start,” said Jill Renslow, Mall of America’s chief business development and marketing officer.
She noted lines began forming as early as 3 p.m. Thursday, and roughly 14,000 visitors entered within the first hour of opening at 7 a.m. “We are tracking one of our best Black Fridays ever,” she said.
Retailers say shoppers are becoming more selective, seeking deals while still willing to spend on key items.
Some companies sped up shipments ahead of upcoming tariffs or absorbed costs to avoid raising prices. Popular categories with notable price increases since April included toys, baby products, housewares, and sports equipment, according to market research firm Circana.
Target, for example, offered the first 100 customers free tote bags and prize products, drawing early lines, while Bath & Body Works and Skims stores also saw high foot traffic. At Westfield Garden State Plaza, Generation Z shoppers filled stores early, with older customers arriving later. “People are definitely buying,” said marketing director William Lewis.
While Black Friday still drives in-store traffic, online shopping continues to grow. From Nov. 1 to 23, U.S. consumers spent $79.7 billion online — a 7.5% increase over last year — with an additional $6.4 billion spent on Thanksgiving Day alone, according to Adobe Analytics.
Mastercard Chief Economist Michelle Meyer noted the mixed signals in the economy.
“Clearly, there’s uncertainty. Clearly, consumers feel on edge. But at the moment, it doesn’t seem like it’s changing how they are showing up for this season.”
