Black Friday weekend sees good sales

This year, the days from Thanksgiving leading upto the Black Friday weekend has churned success for the retailers, as consumers outdid the enthusiasm of last year, being lured with retailer discounts and promotions, according a National Retail Federation survey conducted by BIGinsight.

Thanksgivnig saw a rise in the number of visitors, from 29 million last year, which includes visits to stores and websites, to over 35 million this year. According to the survey , consumers have been active in keeping a tap on discounts and prices at various retail outlets.

The survey also pointed out that spending throughout the weekend increased over the past year. Black Friday saw 89 million shoppers as compared to 86 million last year. Also, the figures of the footfalls indicate that consumers still recognize Black Friday as one of the biggest shopping days of the year, as they have for decades. The entire weekend witnessed a record 247 million shoppers up from 226 million last year. The average spending was $423 ($398 last year), while the total spending reached an estimated $59.1 billion, covering all product categories. The weekend shopping bonanza wasn’t limited to stores; consumers also spent more of their holiday budget online. According to the survey, the average person spent $172.42 online over the weekend (around 40.7 of their total weekend spending), up from 37.8 percent last year. According to the survey, amongst the various product categories of clothing and accessories, toyas, greeting cards, 15.2 percent chose jewelry as gifts. The number of shoppers visiting retailer websites increased from 35.2 percent last year to 43.8 percent.