In years past, Black Friday was regarded as a post-Thanksgiving shopping nightmare - prompting fights over toaster ovens, police intervention, and sending consumers to the Emergency Room. However, the traditions of camping outside big-box retailers and fighting for the best deal possible was not as prevalent this year. Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at NPD Group says, "I’ve been doing this for 40 years, and I’ve never seen a Friday morning be this quiet. Thursday has stolen Friday, there’s no question about it.”
As retailers synchronize their websites with their storefronts, many consumers are opting to shop online this Black Friday rather than venturing out to physical stores. According to Adobe Systems Inc., online sales on Thanksgiving and Black Friday reached $5.27 billion, an increase of 17.7%. Adobe also reports that revenue generated from mobile devices reached $1.2 billion on Black Friday, an increase of 33% from last year.
James Seatter, a 24-year-old from Houston, Tex., said he used to regularly visit stores on Black Friday with his family. This year, he opted to make his purchases on the internet "because of the crazies." He tells The Wall Street Journal "I don’t want to fight with someone over a toaster oven at Wal-Mart. It’s just easier to do it online, on my time so I don’t have to fight the crowds." Many stores are now also offering discounts and deals in the days leading up to and after Black Friday, a trend reducing the urgency of only getting the best deals on Friday.
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