Record Black Friday weekend expected as shoppers take on deals in Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Now that the Thanksgiving leftovers are packed away, many are looking to take on the Black Friday deals.
The National Retail Federation expects this Black Friday to be a record breaker, with 196.7 million people anticipated to take advantage of sales online and in person.
Across the United States, the NRF predicts shoppers will spend about $875 on average this holiday season.
Officials at the Fashion Mall at Keystone expected a large turnout this weekend.
The shopping center opened at 8 a.m. Popular shops like Lululemon and the Apple Store had lines of shoppers starting to form around 7 a.m.
The mall’s Marketing Director, James Payer, says while Black Friday is still one of the busiest days of the year, it no longer produces the chaos it was once known for.
“Shoppers have become savvy over the years,” Payer said. “[Shoppers] know now and make a game plan now about what [they] want and where [they] can find that.”
One shopper, Megan Welsh, said she isn’t surprised by the NRF’s projections this year.
“That’s probably how much I’ll be spending this year, too,” Welsh said. “Lots of toys and clothes this year. Probably going to Kendra Scott, Lululemon, [stores] like that.”
Another shopper, Quinn Sutter, says it was her first time hunting for deals on the day after Thanksgiving.
“I wear a lot of leggings [I’m looking] for a lot of clothes,” Sutter said. “I mean, the sales are going to be really good, and there’s really good sales [at the mall.]”
The NRF said last year, consumers spent, on average, a little over $325 during Black Friday weekend.