Black Friday shoppers head out early

By Michelle Alton

Jason Miller, 38, began waiting in line around 12:45 a.m., more than three hours before Targets 4 a.m. opening.

“It was worth freezing out there. I got the T.V. which is the only reason I’m here right now,” he said.

Miller was one of the estimated 1,000 people in line at Target in Stoughton by 4 a.m. this Black Friday. Target’s “doorbuster” deals included large flat-screen televisions and they sold out rapidly. By 4:08 the store announced there were no more televisions available.

Melinda McPherson, 53, said she had been in line since 2:30 a.m. but didn’t receive a ticket for one of the 300 available televisions. “I came for the 42” T.V. I’m beyond disappointed,” she said.

An associate for Target in Easton said that Black Friday is “one of the busiest days of the year,” and this year was no exception. The National Retailers Federation (NRF) reported 212 billion Black Friday shoppers this year, which was an increase from the 195 billion shoppers in 2009.

Typically, Black Friday is one of the top 10 biggest shopping days of the year in terms of foot traffic but doesn’t always gross the most money. That honor often goes to the Saturday before Christmas.

Target was one of many stores that opened early this Black Friday. Wrentham Premium Outlets opened at midnight on Friday Nov. 26, for “Midnight Madness.”

“My aunt and I go to Wrentham around 8 p.m.,” said Samantha Lindquist, 19 of West Bridgewater, Mass. “I layer on long johns and jackets because it’s absolutely freezing. Once they open it’s everyone for themselves and I end up tearing off layers,” she said.

Lindquist said she has attended Midnight Madness at Wrentham for the past three years because “they have the best deals. I get all my Christmas shopping done.”

Holly Robinson, 24, a cashier at Eddie Bauer said she arrived at work around 11:15 p.m. and would be working until 7 or 8 a.m. “They tell us it’s the busiest at Wrentham from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.,” she said.

Shoppers waited in traffic for one to two hours before arriving at Wrentham.
“It was worth the wait in traffic,” said Mary Brewer, 46, as she left the Coach store. “I got the bag my daughter wanted for half the price so I’d have to say I’d definitely do this again,” she said.

Those that didn’t want to battle traffic and lines turned to online shopping. According to the NRF, 33 percent of consumers shopped online. Jeff Mikaelian, a group sales representative for backcountry.com, said they had a “busy Black Friday as well as a record sales day on Cyber Monday.”

While many shoppers look for electronics the NRF reported that 52.7 percent of 2010 consumers bought clothing instead of the 36.7 percent of 2010 consumers that shopped for electronics.

For a number of people, Black Friday shopping is fun. “I love getting up early,” said Mallory Fauteux, 21 of Edgartown, Mass. “It’s so much fun to fight the crowd and try to get the best deals,” she said.

Fauteux typically heads towards the superstores and avoids the mall. “When I go to Walmart they have everything I want in one place and they give great discounts,” she said.

This year, Kohl’s opened even earlier at 3 a.m., offering between 30-70 percent off of major products.

“I can’t believe I’m awake right now,” said Caroline Clark, 43. “The sales make up for waking up so early. I got great presents for my kids,” she said.

Kate Coulter, 23, of Lynn, Mass, said “I know I should probably do my Christmas shopping but I usually end up getting a lot of stuff for myself.”

Consumer Reports said 66 percent of shoppers on Black Friday shop for themselves.
Despite personal shopping, the NRF said 2010 Black Friday shoppers did complete an average 38.6 percent of their Christmas shopping.

Coulter said she doesn’t always get up early for the sales. “A lot of the sales last all day and I don’t want the TV’s and laptops that everyone else goes after.”

Despite their reasoning, the “doorbuster” ads get people up and out of their house early in the morning. The NRF reported, 61 percent of Black Friday shoppers had left their homes by 10 a.m.

“The lines are the worst part but it’s all worth it when you get in the store,” said Lindquist. She said that the hype of the shopping and the crowd keep her awake through the unorthodox shopping hours.

“I crash once I get home,” she said. “I sleep all the next day.”
Fauteux agreed. “It’s a lot of fun but once I’m home all I want to do is sleep.”