"They say they have the GPS that I want...Nowadays, saving anything makes me feel good," Ingraldi said.
Saving is exactly what millions of Americans are looking to do today as they browse shelves of toys, books, clothing and electronics. The day after Thanksgiving, which has evolved into a national holiday in and of itself, is one of the biggest shopping days of the year. It is also an early indication of fourth quarter profits, which for some retailers can make up as much as a third of total annual revenue.
The National Retail Federation estimated that Black Friday promotions could draw as many as 134 million shoppers, up slightly from 128 million last year.
"Regardless of what we’ve already seen these last few weeks in terms of promotions, retailers still have a few tricks up their sleeves to excite Black Friday shoppers," said Tracy Mullin, NRF President and CEO. "With retailers fully aware that shoppers are looking for incredible deals, Americans can expect huge sales on popular items like toys, electronics and apparel."
Curt House, who also lives in La Crescenta and coaches the La Cañada High School softball team, said he went to bed at midnight but, worried about long lines, was back up at 3:30 a.m. He had browsed the Sport Chalet catalog in preparation.
"The reason I am out is because I had a birthday two weeks ago and I got gift cards for $150 and I figured I could get more for my money," House said.
He didn’t leave empty-handed. House zeroed in on a Nike hybrid gold club, marked down $75, and then turned his attention to holiday gifts for family and friends.
