US Black Friday: online sales surge, but buyers browse at shops first
Shoppers at stores offering discounts and free gifts said they were just looking and reserving their cash for internet purchases
Chicago/New York — US stores offered deep discounts, entertainment and free gifts to lure bargain hunters on Black Friday, the traditional start of the holiday retail season, but some shoppers said that they were just browsing the merchandise, reserving their cash for internet purchases. Still, a sharp rise in online sales brightened the overall outlook for those traditional retailers that have expanded beyond brick-and-mortar outlets, sending their shares higher in trading the day after Thanksgiving. Stores also had carefully managed inventory, seeking to ward off any post-holiday liquidation that would weigh on profits. There was little evidence of the delirious shopper frenzy customary of Black Fridays from past years. Consumers are still expected to spend more overall this holiday season than last, analysts and industry executives said. Black Friday online sales totalled at least $3bn by Friday night, up 15.6% from a year ago, according to Adobe Analytics. On Thanksgiving Day, s...
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