SALT LAKE CITY – 'Tis the season to shop. Whether at the mall or online, local consumers are looking for convenience and savings.
The numbers are out and it appears American consumers are changing how they shop on Black Friday. 151 million people shopped either in stores or online, but more shoppers chose the online route over brick and mortar stores during Thanksgiving weekend, according to the National Retail Foundation.
More than 103 million shopped online over the four-day weekend which started Thursday, compared to 102 million who shopped in stores.
Among online shoppers, 41 million snagged deals on Thanksgiving Day while 75.3 million found savings on Black Friday.
The NRF says this shift shows how people value online deals compared to in-store promotions. Last year, nearly 134 million people shopped, but the NRF changed its surveying methodology so it’s difficult to tell if this is the first year that online shoppers exceeded the offline total.
Black Friday appears to be dwindling due to the extended holiday shopping season, but some local businesses like Hip and Humble on 9th and 9th in Salt Lake fared pretty well on Black Friday.
“I expected a really big gain in sales my Saturday over last year, I didn`t see as big of a gain. My Friday was a really huge gain,” said Sheridan Mordue, owner of Hip and Humble.
Local business owners attribute the uptick in sales to offering shoppers a unique experience they won’t find at big box stores and online retailers.
“Your brick and mortar becomes so important and so impactful to the people that you employ and the neighborhoods you provide services for,” said Mordue.
For an in-depth look at the study, visit https://nrf.com/media/press-releases/thanksgiving-weekend-shopping-brings-big-store-and-online-crowds-according-nrf
