WASHINGTON—Black Friday shopping is shifting from hours spent in line to more time online.
Sales at retail stores on Black Friday fell to $10.4 billion this year, down from $11.6 billion in 2014, according to preliminary figures from research firm ShopperTrak.
And sales on Thanksgiving dropped to $1.8 billion from just over $2 billion. ShopperTrak has 1,200 members, including retailers and malls, in the U.S and overseas. Their figures don’t include e-commerce.
A big reason for the declines is increased online shopping, as Americans hunt down deals on their smartphones, tablets and computers. Another key factor: Many retailers are offering bargains long before Thanksgiving, limiting the impact of Black Friday specials.
Still, most analysts expect this year’s holiday sales to show stronger growth than last year’s. Americans are starting to see early signs of pay increases, hiring has been solid in the past year, and low gas prices are leaving more money in shoppers’ pockets.
“There’s a lot of strength in the consumer,” said Bill Martin, co-founder of ShopperTrak. Even with the slip in sales, “Black Friday will end up being the number one sales day in retail this year.”
Gerri Spencer and her daughter Jasmine Hansen were enthusiastic participants in Black Friday shopping this year. They left Spencer’s home at 4 a.m. Friday and were at Cabela’s, a hunting and outdoor equipment store, in Kansas City, Kansas, an hour later.
“There was a very long line, a few tents and a lot of lawn chairs,” Spencer said. “They posted signs saying you can’t have a fire.”
Spencer said she spent a little more than normal this year. “I feel the economy has picked up in a few areas, and I felt the pull of the holiday spirit,” she said.
