Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is still a big deal for retailers. They see it as a way to bring people into stores and kick off the holiday shopping season. This year, with fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, stores are eager for Black Friday to succeed. Emily Phillips, a Texas resident, enjoys the in-store shopping experience on Black Friday. She saves up all year to buy items she wants on this day. Analysts expect a solid holiday shopping season, though not as strong as last year. Shoppers are cautious with spending due to financial pressures. Retailers are offering deals to attract shoppers. The Mall of America is giving gift cards to the first 200 people in line, while Target has exclusive items for Taylor Swift fans. Best Buy is releasing doorbuster deals weekly. Stores want to boost in-store sales because people are more likely to make impulse purchases there. American retail sales increased in October, indicating healthy spending. Walmart is doing well, but Target's sales are sluggish. Retailers started holiday sales early in October. Shoppers were distracted by the election, but sales are rebounding. Online sales have also increased. Black Friday and the following days are key indicators for the rest of the holiday season. The best time to buy certain items varies by day, with Cyber Monday expected to have the deepest discounts on electronics. Physical stores still see the day after Thanksgiving as the busiest shopping day.

Black Friday: Why It Still Matters for Retailers

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