The shopping preference of consumers seems to have shifted somewhat since last year. Analysts and observers reported an increase in online sales while there is a dip in figures in physical stores. There is also a reported rise in Thanksgiving spending and a decline in Black Friday shopping.
Brad Wilson, founder of sales-finder website BradsDeals.com, said, as quoted by New York Daily News, "To me, it's all blurring a bit. Thanksgiving weekend has become this period of great deals, even starting Thursday evening."
NY Daily News reported that the total for both Thanksgiving and Black Friday purchases this year is $12.29 billion, a bit less than last year's $12.32 billion. People spent an estimated total of $9.1 billion on Black Friday, a 7 percent decline from 2013's figures. However, the numbers for Thanksgiving spending is $3.2 billion, a 24 percent jump from last year's figures.
Also, according to the report, the IBM's Digital Analytics Benchmark indicates that more people shopped online this year. There was a 14 percent increase in online shopping on Thanksgiving, and Black Friday online sales increased by 9.5 percent.
"Target said their e-commerce growth is 40 percent every year, and Best Buy can't keep their site up, which is remarkable," Wilson said. "It's a very fluid, dynamic market, and you can find great deals every day of the year."
Many retailers, including big names like Kohl's and Walmart, are setting their eyes on online shoppers, offering great deals on their online stores. Amazon U.K. enjoyed its biggest day to date, with 5.5 million goods ordered on Black Friday, up from 4 million items sold last year.
"Give yourself a week or two of just keeping your eyes open, and you're probably going to find something really really compelling," Wilson said.
The shopping extravaganza is not over yet. Apart from Thanksgiving and Black Friday, some stores continue to offer items at bargain prices throughout the weekend, extending all the way to Cyber Monday on Dec. 1.
