Christmas rush: US retailers eyeing Black Friday lift; Shoppers hunt for deals despite weak sentiment – The Times of India

Black Friday no longer draws Americans away from Thanksgiving dinners due to midnight lines at malls, but still draws more traffic to stores than any other day of the year — and remains the unofficial start of the U.S. holiday shopping season.This year’s kickoff came as U.S. consumer confidence fell due to the federal government shutdown, weak hiring and persistent inflation, The Conference Board said, AP reported. Retailers say shoppers have become more selective and deal-oriented, even as they continue to spend on big seasonal moments, creating what executives describe as a “halo effect.”“Consumers have been saying for years that the economy is terrible while continuing to spend for years, so the outlook is probably better than they’re telling us,” Bill Adams, chief economist at Comerica Bank, said ahead of Black Friday.At Macy’s Herald Square in New York City, early morning crowds searched for deep discounts on shoes, clothing, bedding and cosmetics after the doors opened at 6 a.m. Shoes – discounted by 40 to 50% – were among the busiest sections. But unlike previous years, the atmosphere was calm.Veronica Nam, 68, bought Nike sneakers for her husband and spent $256 on Lacoste bedding that she said was half price. She said she would wait until after Christmas to buy gifts for other family members, amid fluctuating rates under President Donald Trump and several years of high prices. “The food is very expensive,” she said.Nearby, 19-year-old Nicholas Menasche was shopping with his mother before heading to Best Buy for video games. The banking intern plans to spend about $1,200 this holiday season — about the same as last year. “I’m here to buy stuff. Shoes and clothes,” he said. “It’s a great tradition. The shops open very early.”Retailers spent the spring and summer navigating the unpredictability of tariffs, shifting shipments ahead of import taxes and absorbing certain costs to avoid price increases. Circana data shows that prices of 40% of general goods increased by at least 5% in September compared to early 2025. Toys, household goods, baby products and sporting goods were particularly affected; 83% of toys experienced a price increase of at least 5%. Nearly 80% of toy sales in the U.S. are items made in China — an industry hit by high Trump-era tariffs.Still, malls and analysts reported strong momentum heading into Black Friday. At the Mall of America in Minnesota, foot traffic has exceeded pre-pandemic levels seen in 2019 in recent weeks, said Jill Renslow, the mall’s chief business development and marketing officer. “We are seeing a very positive start to the holiday season,” she said. “The last few Saturdays of November were very strong.”Online spending is also growing significantly. Between Nov. 1 and Nov. 23, consumers spent $79.7 billion, according to Adobe Analytics — up 7.5% from a year earlier and ahead of the 5.3% forecast.Mastercard SpendingPulse expects holiday sales to increase 3.6% from November 1 to December 24, up from last year’s 4.1%.“Clearly there is uncertainty,” said Michelle Meyer, Mastercard’s chief economist. “It’s clear that consumers are feeling anxious. But at this point, it doesn’t seem like this will change the way they appear this season.”