Retailers Rejoice Over Record Black Friday And Weekend Numbers

Retailers must be rubbing their hands together in glee, as the numbers from Black Friday and the post-Thanksgiving weekend come rolling in. Records have been broken, many a TV has been purchased and shoppers really went at it.

Time.com reports that a record-setting 226 million shoppers headed to stores and ordered items online beginning on Thanksgiving, up from 212 million last year. This, according to estimates from The National Retail Federation.

It wasn’t just an increase in shoppers, those who struck out to find deals spent an average of $398.62, compared to $365.34 last year.

Extended shopping hours and better online marketing could be part of the reason for such a hike in numbers. The NRF says 24% of those shopping on Black Friday were at stores at midnight, up from 9.5% a year ago when most stores weren’t open that early.

“Black Friday has evolved from an early morning shopping activity to a late night entertainment,” says Ellen Davis, spokeswoman at The National Retail Federation told CNN. “A lot of people stayed up until 1 a.m. or 2 a.m. to go shopping, and then went to bed.”

Record Crowds Turn out for Black Friday Shopping [Time]

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