Preliminary data indicates Black Friday sales got off to a roaring start this year, with consumers shopping earlier and online sales increasing significantly over last year.
Retailers across the board reported strong crowds early Friday, with high-definition televisions, laptops, winter coats and the popular toy Zhu-Zhu pets among the hottest items. “There were bargain-hungry shoppers out there, and retailers really did pull out all the stops for people,” says Kathy Grannis, a spokesperson for the National Retail Federation, noting that many of the day’s hot item carried the steepest discounts.
