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New york (AP) It would be easy to turn on the computer with the remaining turkey plates at home, and take advantage of the Black Friday deals that most retailers now offer online.
But across the country, thousands of shoppers flock to shops on Thanksgiving Day, or wake up before dawn the next day to attend the most famous American consumerism ceremony.
Shoppers lined up for a holiday outside the American mall in Bloomington, Minnesota before 4: 00. m.
When the door opened at 5 on Thursday, the crowd had swelled to 3,000. m. Friday morning.
In Ohio, a group of women were so determined that they booked a hotel room on Thursday night to get closer to the store.
In New York, a woman goes straight to a department store from a dance club in the middle of the night.
Many shoppers say Black Friday, like the gatekeeper deal, is about the spectacle.
Katy Anderson said she stopped at the Cumberland Mall in Atlanta on Friday morning to buy discounted clothes and "people watching ".
"Her friend Katie Nasworthy said she went to the mall instead of shopping online because she likes to watch Christmas decorations.
"It's just like Christmas until now," said Kim Bryant, who was shopping with her daughter and her daughter's friends in suburban Denver, and her daughter and daughter's friends lined up at 5: 40. m.
, Then sprint when opening at 6. m. Brick-and-
Mortar stores are trying to prove they can fight competition from online giant Amazon.
From Macy's to Target and Wal-Mart, retailers are combining their online and store shopping experience with new tools such as digital maps on smartphones and more options for shoppers to buy and shop online
Customers are frustrated with the long checkout line and can check out with the sales staff in the store aisles of Wal-Mart and other stores.
According to Adobe Analytics, which tracks online consumption, online orders consumers receive in stores from Wednesday to Thanksgiving have almost doubled.
The 28-year-old Priscilla Page pulled her order number into an information booth near the Wal-Mart entrance to the city of Wisconsin, Kentucky.
She found a good gift for her boyfriend online and then arrived at the store to retrieve it.
"I never had a Black Friday --
A few minutes later, she said, the staff sent her bag.
"I am not the most patient person.
Crowd, line up, wait, it's not my thing.
It's much easier.
"The holiday shopping season is a huge test for the United States. S.
So far this year, the overall growth of the US economy depends on the surge in consumer spending.
In the first half of 2018, Americans increased spending at the fastest pace in four years, but retail revenue has recently declined.
The total sales volume for next month will be a good indicator of whether consumers just stop to catch their breath or are not very optimistic about the 2019 economy.
The National Retail Federation, the country's largest retail trade group, expects holiday retail sales to grow by 4.
8%, amounting to $2017, more than 720. 89 billion.
Sales growth slowed over the same period last year.
3%, but remain healthy.
The retail economy is also leaning sharply towards online shopping.
In the past 12 months
Stores such as Amazon have jumped 12.
Sales of traditional department stores fell by 1%. 3 percent.
Thanksgiving hit a record $3, Adobe Analytics reported on Thursday.
Online retail sales were 7 billion, up 28% year on year.
Online spending is expected to reach more than $6 on Black Friday.
4 billion, according to Adobe.
Target reported that shoppers bought big items such as televisions, iPads and Apple Watches.
The most popular toy deals are Lego, Los Angeles. O. L.
Surprise from MGA Entertainment and Mattel Barbie.
Gamers reportedly chose video game consoles such as Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Others reported that their savings were more vague.
At a shopping mall in Cincinnati, Bethany Carrington made a total of $29. in-
Her husband's nose hair needs a trimmer for $17, "the biggest sir.
Potato Head I 've seen.
"Black Friday itself has changed from a day when people get up early to score points to a full month of trading.
Many major stores, including Macy's, Wal-Mart and Target, started their deals on Thanksgiving night.
But some families stick to their Black Friday tradition.
"We boycott shopping on Thursday;
This is a family day.
But Friday's experience is just for fun, "said Michelle Wise, who is shopping with her 16-year-old daughter at the Park Meadows Mall in Denver. year-
Old Ashley and 14-year-old Avery. By mid-
There were no extensive reports on the deal on Friday
Inspired by the chaos, this has become the core content of Black Friday, the first battle around discounted TV or scrambling for the coveted sale of products.
Two men fighting in the mall of Alabama, one of whom shot another man and one 12year-
Both of them were taken to hospital for injuries.
Police shot and killed the gunman.
The authorities did not say whether the incident was related to "Black Friday" shopping or whether the incident originated from an unrelated dispute.
Candice Clark took her 19-year-
The old daughter dixili Duterte looked around and said how calm it all looked.
They have long been devotees of the "Black Friday" deal, and for years they have braved the crowd and chaos.
About 10 years ago, Clark's son was hit in the head by a baking tray while a shopper wrestled.
They saw a woman lighting a Taser gun and threatened to use it on anyone between her and the hot pot she wanted.
They 've been watching for years, and as shopping moves online, the store's sales move from one-
Sprint day by day-long marathon.
"It seems normal to be here," said Roy Heller . " When he arrived at the Wal-Mart in Philadelphia, he was a little skeptical about Black Friday's shopping, but was pleasantly surprised to find that he didn't even have to queue up.
He tried to buy a toy robot for his son on Amazon, but it sold out.
On Friday morning, he frantically searched the internet and found a robot at Wal-Mart 25 miles from his home.
He bought it online and arrived an hour later.
He held up his bag and announced: "I got the last bag in the city of Louise!
"The Galofaro is located in the city of Wisconsin, Kentucky.
Atlanta's Associated Press writer Jeff Martin, Dallas's Ryan tarinelli, Denver's Katie Fordy, Angie King of Cincinnati, and Amy Tasin of Costa Mesa, California, also
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