Black Friday A Real Mix For Shoppers
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- For some shoppers, Black Friday began before Friday with a Thanksgiving rush the night before.
"It used to be starting at 5 a.m. in the morning actually on Friday, but now we're out there with everyone else on Thanksgiving," said Melissa Gatchel of East Palestine. "Nine o'clock we got started."
With their own T-shirts, the Gatchel family racked 24 hours of shopping, and they were hardly alone in shopping early.
But the early start is impacting the Black Friday experience for some.
"Now with the stores opening on Thanksgiving, it's ruined it," Ginger Howard, of New Kensington, told KDKA money editor Jon Delano, "because we like the hustle and bustle, and you don't get that as much anymore."
But spreading the shopping over the 4-day weekend is great for some shoppers.
"We came out last night. We were in and out three different stores in less than two hours," said Avery Sandidge, of Green Tree.
"Black Friday has really lost its luster," says Duquesne University marketing professor, Dr. Audrey Guskey.
Black Friday just doesn't offer as many unique good deals, says Guskey.
"Thanksgiving Day people were shopping, and Cyber Monday is coming up, and Small Business Saturday. So in reality Black Friday has, in a sense, lost its momentum because people have been able to spread it out," notes Guskey. "And people have so many other options as far as shopping, and the online shopping seems to be the biggest."
On Thanksgiving Day alone, a record $771 million of products were purchased on mobile devices.
But that didn't stop long lines at some venues.
"It took me 25 minutes to find a parking spot. It's crazy here today," said Lenny Cavanaugh of Butler.
How crowded these malls are really are in the eye of the beholder. Some long-time shoppers of Black Friday say it's much less frenzied than before, while others say, it's as busy as ever.
"Well, just sitting here at Starbucks, there have been years when we've had to wait and wait and wait. This year it seemed to go a lot quicker," adds Tammy Poppe, of St. Clairsville.
The Crummie family of Brighton Heights avoided the mall altogether by shopping downtown at Market Square.
"It's too nice to be at a mall. It's nice just to walk around downtown and experience the Christmas feeling," observed Lisa Crummie.
Just another way to enjoy Black Friday.
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