ORLANDO, Fla. — The Black Friday sales may have already begun at some stores, but it’s not expected to be as successful as years past.
The National Retail Federation expects shoppers to spend more this year than last year, their spending pace will slow given inflation.
“It’s really good for families (to spend time together). But sometimes the price is not there,” said Nelson Diaz.
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While Black Friday still reigns as the top shopping day of the year -- a spending slowdown is expected across Central Florida stores and the nation this year.
The NRF expects holiday sales to only go up about three to four percent for 2023, that’s compared to a five to six percent increase in 2022.
For many, it’s because prices are just too high -- despite the discounts. Unemployment and high interest rates are also factors, making many shoppers cynical of the savings.
Read: Report: Florida’s nursing shortage rebounding after pandemic
“Inflation is just too high. Just get expensive stuff and be satisfied,” one shopper told Channel 9.
Shoppers can expect to save big on electronics, jewelry, and furniture. Deals at big box stores like Target and Walmart are starting at dawn on Black Friday, instead of recent years where stores invited shoppers to save a buck after gobbling down their turkey.
Although, Walmart opened some discounts starting Wednesday -- but only for “Walmart Plus” members.
“We’ve spread them out through the holiday season to help customers stretch their dollar even more and make the most of their shopping experience,” said Walmart Spokesperson Robert Arrieta,
Small Business Saturday is expecting growth this year. The National Retail Federation expects sales to go up three to four percent this year, totaling about 65.6 million shoppers shopping locally on Saturday.
Millions are also expected to do their shopping from home this year. Consumer experts project more than 71 million people to shop for Cyber Monday.
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