Are Black Friday deals starting off a little too early? Shoppers, experts weigh in on how holiday shopping has changed
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Historically, the day after Thanksgiving has marked the start of the holiday shopping rush, but it seems this year, retailers have rolled out deals weeks ahead of Black Friday.
"We used to, like, get all excited on Thanksgiving and we would look through the ads, and we would like plan our time out...but now, it's kind of spread out," said local shopper Angie Yeldell.
Yeldell and her daughter Alexandra Hyatt were out shopping Wednesday morning around the Third Ward. They both agreed that holiday shopping this year felt different from years past.
For years, Black Friday has kicked off the biggest shopping weekend of the holiday season.
"It made it more than just shopping, it made it about relationship building and funny stories to tell for years to come," said Christine Whelan, clinical professor of consumer science at UW-Madison.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, retailers have started Black Friday deals earlier than ever --some even three weeks before the big day, to draw shoppers.
"Just to avoid the crowds and not have to worry about making sure we get there on time, so it's not sold out," said Hyatt, regarding why she feels it's more convenient to have deals go on for longer than a weekend.
Consumer experts say long gone are the days when one would wait for the clock to strike midnight just to camp outside your favorite store. The convenience of online shopping, however, doesn't entice some traditional shoppers.
"I miss it," added Yeldell. "The hunt, the deal, I miss it all."
Is that sense of urgency, that holiday shopping magic, gone? With deals scattered all over the place, it might be hard to pinpoint the exact prime time to go on a holiday shopping spree.
"I would keep an eye out if there's something in particular that you are looking at," said Whelan. "Don't wait if you are looking for something that's one of those hot gifts of the year, because they very well may run out."
The National Retail Federation (NRF) predicts holiday sales will jump about 4% this year (not adjusted for inflation), which is less than the 5.4% increase last year.
Still, the NRF says November and December months account for about 20% of retail sales for the full year.