Black Friday online sales likely meant shorter lines, more relaxed shopping in Merced
Black Friday isn’t what it used to be in Merced.
“I remember about 10 years ago, it would be a madhouse,” said Rick Zamarripa, who spent Black Friday at the Merced Walmart. “I mean, it would be wall to wall people picking up whatever latest things they could find.”
Still, Merced’s Walmart was by no means deserted on Black Friday. Purposeful customers pushing shopping carts looked energetic, but not stressed. Employees appeared busy, but not overwhelmed. Many carts were about half full, and aisles were generally clear to walk down without hindrance.
“It’s less busy,” Zamarripa said. “Most of the stuff I think is online now, that’s the big thing.”
Zamarripa’s son works at the Merced Walmart. He said his son was busier in the back, swamped with pulling online orders for customers to pick up.
“If you can order online and pick it up, I would much rather do that,” said Kim Nickerson, another Black Friday shopper who only went to Walmart.
Nickerson said she goes Black Friday shopping every year. Over time, she has seen crowds thin and lines shrink, she said.
“It’s more just for fun,” Nickerson said. “It’s either go shopping or take a nap.”
Nationwide, Black Friday used to feel like an inevitable frantic frenzy, and at times, a physical hazard. In 2008, three deaths occurred on Black Friday nationwide — one individual was trampled at a Walmart, and two others shot to death in a Toys “R” Us, CNN reported.
While confrontations still occur, Black Friday seems to have calmed down in many areas.
This may be due to convenient online shopping and additional days of deals like Cyber Monday and Prime Day, according to NPR. The once highly concentrated in-store purchases on Black Friday are now spread out over multiple days and online.
More people now plan to shop online than at a brick-and-mortar store on Black Friday, according to a PwC survey.
Adobe Analytics forecast that Black Friday online sales will amount to $7.5 billion. By 7 a.m. Black Friday, US shoppers had spent $767 million online. This was in addition to the $4.2 billion was spent Thanksgiving day alone, Adobe reported.
Ultimately, Adobe Analytics projects online sales in the U.S. between Nov. 1 through Dec. 31 will reach $143 billion- up from $126 billion in 2018.
Both Zamarripa and Nickerson said they would shop during Cyber Monday, too.
The National Retail Federation predicts 165 million people will shop in the five days between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday. A total of $730 billion is expected to be spent in-store and online between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31.
Local Merced small businesses had a successful Black Friday as well, with sales comparable to 2018.
“It’s definitely down from our best year four or five years ago, but I think we’re on track to do just as good as we did last year,” said Alison Kostecky, a manager at Christina’s Boutiques. The shop, which sells young women’s clothes, is owned by two sisters from Merced.
Kostecky said the boutique opened three hours early at 7 a.m. and saw a steady customer flow.
“I heard a lot of people saying that they weren’t doing the big box stores,” Kostecky said. “They were only coming to the small places today, so that was really positive.”
Barry Peiffer, owner of the Merced Antique Mall, echoed this with his own observation.
“So far we’ve been busier than I thought,” Peiffer said. “Normally, we don’t get busy until late in the afternoon because everyone does all the big box stores.”
Peiffer said there seemed to be more customers than last year. The store ran Black Friday deals on items from most of the 35 different antique dealers featured, but did not change store hours.
“We’re just happy we’ve got business in here,” Peiffer said.
