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Virus keeps Black Friday crowds thin, shoppers shift online

A few Black Friday shoppers wait in line to enter a Target store that opened at 7am in Commerce, Calif., Friday, Nov. 27, 2020.
Associated Press

By ANNE D'INNOCENZIO, economy's fitful recovery during the pandemic. reassure wary customers Friday.
JOSEPH PISANI and ALEX- from the sudden plunge in "They've been away from about coming in on Black The smaller crowds were
ANDRA OLSON the spring. Crowds at stores their friends," said Kelly, Friday. But stores also ca- planned, said Jill Renslow,
AP Retail Writers were dramatically dimin- who failed to get the con- tered to those shopping Mall of America’s senior
NEW YORK (AP) — The rag- ished as shoppers shifted sole at a GameStop in New digitally by moving their vice president of business
ing coronavirus pandemic online. York City's Union Square doorbuster deals online development. The mall
kept crowds thin at malls Game consoles, cookware, but said he would keep try- and ramping up curbside spread out the Black Friday
and stores across the coun- robotic vacuum cleaners, ing online. "They've done pickup options as a last deals over eight days, and
try on Black Friday, but a slippers and pajamas were everything they had to do grasp at sales before the many retail tenants pivoted
surge in online shopping popular among shoppers in school and outside of year ends more to online and curb-
offered a beacon of hope preparing to spend a lot school, so I have to award “Black Friday is still critical,” side pickup.
for struggling retailers after of time indoors this winter. them for being exceptional said Neil Saunders, manag- “It feels good, and it’s the
months of slumping sales Many were still eager to kids." ing director of GlobalData right thing to do to keep
and businesses toppling get into holiday spirit and Before Black Friday, Retail. “No retailer wants it everybody safe,” Renslow
into bankruptcy. delight their loved ones af- GameStop teased that it to be tarnished. It’s still vi- said “Everyone is shopping
In normal times, Black Fri- ter a tough year. would have a limited sup- tal to get their consumers a little differently but that’s
day is the busiest shopping Eric Kelly, a boxing gym ply of the new $500 Play- spending and get consum- OK.”
day of the year, drawing owner, camped outside Station 5 game console ers into the holiday mood.” Only a trickle of shoppers
millions of people eager to a store on Black Friday for for sale only at its stores, in Several hundred shoppers showed up at Macy’s Her-
get started on their holiday the first time in his life, trying contrast to other retailers lined up ahead of open- ald Square in New York,
spending. to score a PlayStation 5 for that offered the hot ticket- ing at Mall of America in which offered 50% off
But these are not normal his 13-year-old twin sons as items only online. Bloomington, Minnesota, handbags and 60% off
times: A spike in coronavi- a reward for persevering Many retailers beefed up which normally attracts women’s and men’s coats.
rus cases is threatening the through remote learning their safety protocols to several thousand on Black Continued on Next Page