Black Friday sales fall 10% from last year

[inanna]

Source: Associated Press in New York

Saturday 28 November 2015 20.01 GMT

Total sales in the US on Black Friday fell 10% to $10.4bn this year, down from $11.6bn in 2014, according to research firm ShopperTrak.

The decline in sales on the traditional busiest shopping day of the year has been blamed on shops opening the day before. But this year, sales on Thanksgiving also dropped, and by the same percentage, to $1.8bn.

A big reason for the decline is increased online shopping, as Americans hunt down deals on their smartphones, tablets and computers. Many retailers are also offering bargains long before Thanksgiving, limiting the impact of Black Friday specials.

<snip>

Brick-and-mortar retailers saw fewer customer visits on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, compared with last year, according to Kevin Kearns, ShopperTrak’s chief revenue officer.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/nov/28/black-friday-sales-fall

[7962]

1. Black Friday has kinda morphed into "Black weekend"

Different stores opening at different times on different days; its all just a 3 day blob now.
Not that I ever took part in it. I hate getting up early or waiting in a line

[jmowreader]

5. More like "Black Month"

I can't count all the "Black Friday All Month Long" ads I saw in November. It was a LOT.

[7962]

6. thats true too.

Although i did see a guy on tv this morning talking about how the early sales still werent going to have the same pricing as the "real" black friday. It was a "warm up"

[romanic]

2. People can't afford stuff

if they don't have the wages to pay for it. Doesn't matter if you turn Black Friday into Black Week of Thanksgiving, no one can afford to shop anymore.

[jamzrockz]

9. Alsoo, how many TVs does one need anyway?

Most people have now replaced their box TV for flat screens. I bought all my electronics that I need 4 thanksgivings ago and I like most people don't have any need for new stuff now.

[LiberalElite]

16. A few days ago on the local news,

they featured a guy who had spent days in front of a store. He was in a tent that contained most of the comforts of home - including a flat-screen TV.

What was the item he was so intent on getting that he camped out for it? A flat-screen TV.

I am not making this up.

[OhZone]

3. Oh, I didn't see that many great deals myself.

The deals seemed a little better last year. Or maybe that's just me.

[cstanleytech]

4. I wonder how much of this was due to retailers forcing their workers to work on thanksgiving

day and or do a midnight opening thereby making them to tired the next day to shop?

[Skittles]

7. why wouldn't online sales be part of the total?

[homegirl]

8. Christmas shopping

last year was a pleasure. I purchased almost everything on line. Two exceptions:
the tree and a fun tee shirt for my granddaughter.

[smirkymonkey]

10. Good. Let's cut this shit out and let people have time with their families.

I'm sorry, I just don't get it. Material goods are just not that important to me. It's not like they are slashing prices on food, prescription drugs and housing, FFS!!

Get a grip America!

[Yavin4]

11. People shop online now

Online sales are up over last year. Makes sense what subject yourself to getting trampled when you can just buy online.



http://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2015/11/28/black-friday-store-sales-fall-as-americans-buy-more-online

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.

[RBInMaine]

12. HUGE increase in this is the biggest reason & can get deals well before and AFTER Black Friday.

[flamingdem]

13. People are tired of Chinese made crap

[RBInMaine]

15. Shopping patterns have changed. HUGE numbers of people now buy online. This is the reason.

[4lbs]

14. Maybe ShopperTrak needs to include ALL FORMS of purchases, not just brick-and-mortar.

Then, they would see sales actually increased from last year.

I think in 10 years, at least half of all sales from Black Friday will be online.

The company I work for sells almost exclusively online, and we've seen our sales increase about 20% each year for the past 5 years.