Consumers Head Straight To Retailers From Thanksgiving Table For Black Friday Deals
BALTIMORE (WJZ)-- Many retailers are thankful on Thanksgiving as they kick off the official start of the holiday shopping season.
It's definitely organized chaos. For many it's a tradition that just cant be beat. For others it's a time to cross off the Christmas shopping lists and save.
Shoppers wasted absolutely no time this Thanksgiving as dozens of eager customers took part in what's become a tradition as routine as a turkey dinner.
Inside stores like JCPenney in White Marsh, employees made last minute before kicking off the holiday shopping season.
"We want to make sure we're greeting them," JCPenney GM Michele Lozanski said. "We want to make sure we are saving them a ton of money!"
It won't be long before customers carts are full with door buster deals and other in store sales.
the push to get customers from going online to in line inside the stores.
"I like the interaction with the customer, OK, you can't get that online when you're clicking buttons it's always better to come into the store and interact with people," Lozanski said.
In Columbia, Toys "R" Us opened doors at 5 p.m.
Whether they meant to be a part of crowd or not, other shoppers more or less, are making a game out of it.
"I don't want to stand in that line I just want to get in and get out," said Black Friday shopper Tony Audrey. "I'm still out here, I'm still out here"
"We get to get out, get out of the house and all the commotion and everything it's kind of a fun event," shopper Wes Amos said.
"Two of the thing we got are half off so that's saving $40 right there," Samantha Weigman said.
Other customers so far pleased with their shopping experience.
"Three years ago I was here, it was pretty chaotic," April Williams said.
This is only just the start so employees are fueling up for the long haul.
"Plenty of sugar, crash kits for our cashiers, snacks, drinks to keep them going throughout the day," said Jessica Langston of Toys "R" Us.
A lot of retailers are offering specials deals that you can only get in store to help drive some of that foot traffic. Employees say the key to surviving the spree is keeping things lighthearted.
The National Retail Federation says this years top three gifts will be clothes, gift cards and electronics.
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