Anecdotal reports suggest that crowds on Black Friday—the day after Thanksgiving—were up compared to last year, but retailers won't know how that translated into sales for another few days. Macy's president and CEO Terry Lundgren told the NY Times that over 5,000 waited outside the Herald Square location yesterday (more than last year) and said this year's customer was going to be more careful, "They've got a budget that they’ve planned to spend and I think most consumers will stick to that. We expect that this will be a market-share holiday season. We don’t need consumers to spend more money. We just need to make them spend more money with us."
A cab driver who told the Post he waited outside a midtown Best Buy for "over a day," was thrilled when he got a 46" Samsung flat-screen TV, "It's for me. I've been waiting to get it...I'm saving over $1,000 on this big-screen TV," which usually goes for $2,600. And at Sears, business was brisk for the combo washer-dryer (basically 50% off, selling at $579 from over $1,000); a spokesman said, "It was really popular. We also sold a lot of comforters, also a Kraftsman cordless drill and driver, on sale for $39.99 from $79.99, and Snuggies for $9.99 -- we had a hard time keeping them on the shelves."
NY1 was at the Queens Center Mall, where a Modells assistant manager said, "We've had Timberland boots for $60 that are regularly $120. We have Nike sweatshirts and fleece and bottoms for 50 percent off. We had some buy one, get one free items. It's been crazy." However, shoppers may find few items around; Crain's Adrianna Pasquarelli told the station, "There aren't as many discounts as last year because last year a lot of retailers had excess inventory and they had to get it off the shelves. This year, they ordered less, so there will be less and therefore less markdowns that will be passed on to the consumer."
The Times also calls this "America’s first Twitter Christmas," observing how numerous chains are pushing sale information, suggestions and interaction on Twitter. For instance, Macy's asked, "How’s your Black Friday shopping going? What deals have you been finding?" while the Gap is letting New York area residents know where in NYC the Gap Cheer Squad is. One Atlanta woman Tweeted, "Contemplating going to Toys R Us tonight, crazy yes I know," only for Toy "R" Us to reply to her with encouragement moments later, "Black Friday shopping is fun at Toys"R"Us."
