Black Friday deals have already started for many retailers, but the protocols and expectations for these businesses have changed in 2020.
Businesses are adapting during the pandemic and so are consumers, but for those who are making the rounds on Friday, what’s the goal and where’s the concern level at for these early holiday shoppers?
As the holidays inch closer, the deals for consumers get better.
KSBY spoke to some people Tuesday who say Black Friday shopping gives them a sense of normalcy, something they’ve been missing in 2020, so their plan is to take that chance.
“Very, very important, that just keeps us close to our family and stuff. We plan on doing it. I hope everything works out, nobody gets sick, and we just take care of ourselves as we’re doing it,” said Jake Soto of Lompoc.
“I’m a people person, so any kind of interaction I can get, especially with customer service, seeing people smile, it’s very important to me. Just helps with the overall morale with what’s going on right now,” said Los Angeles resident Lee Dawn Hershey.
Because of the pandemic, many retail stores have adjusted their holiday plans, making deals available to customers earlier than usual.
There are many more online deals as well, but WalletHub senior analyst Jill Gonzalez says despite those efforts, she doesn’t expect that to create the same amount of traffic as a normal year.
“Because of things related to COVID-19, whether it is health or unemployment, so a lot of people are not going to be spending the same amount of money they did in 2019 or years prior,” Gonzalez says.
For those still planning on giving Black Friday a go, some are concerned due to covid-19 while others feel safe.
“A little bit (concerned). Hopefully it won’t be too crowded, but we’re definitely going to come out and do some shopping,” Soto said.
“I don’t think that’s gonna happen considering the regulations of what’s going on, so I think the cards are with us this year” Hershey said.
A recent WalletHub survey found one in three people are skipping gift giving this year.
Stores like target, Walmart and Best Buy will also be closed on Thanksgiving.
