TAMPA, Fla. — Stores across Tampa Bay braced for one of their busiest days of the year on Black Friday, but there has been a definite shift as the tradition is morphing from a day to a season of sales.
Shoppers came for significant savings and got just what they wanted. Maria Nedd picked up a 75-inch TV for $350 at the South Tampa Best Buy, but she noticed a difference this year at checkout.
"They're not packed I love it," Nedd said.
Best Buy saw a steady stream of shoppers, with more than a dozen people lined up when doors opened, feeling far from the days when crowds camped out and raced in for doorbuster deals.
There were new day of deals, but discounts started much earlier at many stores.
Best Buy rolled out Black Friday deals more than a week ago and even earlier for members.
At Target, savings started on Sunday.
"You can find all of our great deals online," said Rachel Frieden, store director at the Wesley Chapel Target.
When asked how big Black Friday is in terms of business, Frieden explained the significance.
"This is huge, this is what we call our Super Bowl. It's the busiest time of year and it only picks up from there until we get through Christmas," Frieden said.
Target is still putting a lot of stock into getting people in the store, meaning prizes and giveaways. This year, the first 100 customers walked away with an exclusive tote packed with freebies, and 10 of them received extras valued at up to $350.
"We do try to create a lot of excitement around the specific black Friday," Frieden said.
Deals might run longer, but the day remains important. This year the National Retail Federation expects Black Friday to break records with more than 130 million shoppers.
As for Nedd, she's not complaining about any changes, counting them as an extra gift.
"There's not a lot of people here and they got good deals," Nedd said.
If you haven't started your shopping yet or still have more to go, there will be other chances for savings. Marketing experts say last-minute shoppers could find a few clearance deals, but many stores will roll out a new batch of discounts in mid-December.
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