Black Friday shoppers out in full force

Strong online sales on Thanksgiving and Black Friday were expected to take the wind out of Cyber Monday, just as pre-Turkey Day promos sapped Black Friday excitement.

Activity was brisk at the Vacaville Premium Outlets Friday morning, with the parking lots full and shoppers heading in and out of stores.

More than 135.7 million customers were planning to go shopping during the long holiday weekend according to figures released by the National Retail Federation.

And it expects sales overall for November and December to rise 3.7% to $630.5 billion (594 billion euros), compared with the same period past year. And for a decade, it had been considered the official start of the holiday buying season. All times are EST, unless otherwise specified.

Past Black Fridays have seen deaths and injuries from stampedes by eager shoppers.

“I don’t think I’ve stood in a line”, she said.

Another frustrated user tweeted: “shouldn’t advertise doing Black Friday if your website can’t handle it. Trying to pay and keeps crashing”. Online shopping has helped reduce the Black Friday rush, but the stores are still busy helping customers check the right items out.

Industry experts say the wave of online Black Friday deals has sparked the biggest pre Christmas spending spree on record.

“It’s rainy and yucky. They don’t have to enter info this year”, she said. By late Friday morning, shoppers were waiting 25 minutes to check out at the Toys “R” Us in Cranberry. Mall of America, the nation’s largest shopping mall, said visits on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, were about even with past year. She said Wal-Mart didn’t have the tablet she wanted for her son. They picked up one item, a Dita Von Teese contour palette makeup set.

“Today, I figured they’d have some good stuff still, as long as you’re here early”, he said.

Julie Desireau snagged a $10 crock pot and the last $10 deep fryer at the Naperville, Illinois Wal-Mart and promptly hid them under a rack of women’s flannel pajamas. Then again, it’s nice to come out and touch the actually product. “We bought spoons, forks, we do not have any plates and we don’t have any clothes”, says Jennifer Green. However, they may get more for their money. Jim Silver, editor-in-chief of TTPM, an online review site, said about 10 toys are already hard to find, including certain “Star Wars” toys. “I have a baby and it is expensive”. Walmart has increased discount offers four times on its Cyber Monday deals from past year.

“There’s a lot of strength in the consumer”, said Bill Martin, co-founder of ShopperTrak. “We have weather cooperating, which is always a big factor”. That’s below last year’s 4.1 percent growth.

Game Stop: Closed on Thanksgiving Day, opens 5 a.m. on Black Friday.

At the crowded Macy’s shoe department at Herald Square, Karina Maxim, an artist and tarot card reader, was taking a break in shopping.

Nia Darrell, a 23-year-old student, was shopping for coats and handbags at the store with two friends.

She plans to go to Best Buy Friday. “I’m going straight to Amazon”, said Darius McDaniel of Dayton, Ohio.

Sales began Thanksgiving evening this year, with local stores such as those in the Vacaville Premium Outlets and Solano Town Center opening their doors at 6 p.m. and featuring holiday specials through the night.