Black Friday consumers go online, rather than stand in line

NEW YORK/ATLANTA — Bargain-hunting Americans clicked their way through Thanksgiving, spending 5 percent more than last year, as more consumers turned to laptops and phones instead of braving brisk weather to snap up deals over the crucial Black Friday shopping weekend. While early online sales figures showed a promising trend for spending, at major retailers, the traditional Black Friday bargain-chasing felt subdued compared to years when throngs of people stood in line on a post-Thanksgiving morning. Many of those who ventured out said they were on a budget, fearful of overspending at a time when inflation remains above-trend and the labor market is softening. “I’m being much more careful,” said Grace Curbelo, 67, of New Rochelle, New York, who was at the Woodbury Common outlet center in Central Valley, New York, on Friday morning. “I’m not sure how the economy will turn, and I don’t want to put myself in debt.” Cautious consumers, higher prices Overall online spending on Thanksgiving Thursday rose 5.3 percent year-over-year to $6.4 billion, according to Adobe Analytics,Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times