NEW ORLEANS — We are days away from the busiest shopping weekend of the year, and this holiday season, local shoppers have strategies.
“I actually wait for the deals because I love me a good deal, but I also do a lot of online shopping as well," Cierra England said.
“I don’t wait for the Black Friday deals. I just get it whenever it’s convenient for me and a lot of online shopping," Romi Milburn said.
Some folks were already holiday shopping at Lakeside Mall Tuesday night.
But are the days of waiting for Black Friday deals and lining up at big box stores on Thanksgiving a thing of the past?
“I think since online sales are now a big thing, I don’t think that people are really lining up as much as they used to in the early 2000s," England said.
“I do feel like they’re gone. I did want to get a TV this year, but I’m not going to go out and be out late outside in line or nothing," Millburn said.
These days you can find the perfect gift with the click of a button.
Last year, the National Retail Federation reported a record 200 million shoppers across the Black Friday to Cyber Monday weekend. Online sales on Black Friday were up roughly four percent, the study showed.
As online sales have ramped up in recent years, small businesses say they're having to work harder to earn your hard-earned money.
Rachael Lederman, sales associate at Lucy Rose on Metairie Road, said they plan to capitalize on days such as Black Friday and Small Business Saturday with deals to draw shoppers in.
However, Lederman said it's not always advantageous to wait for those deals, depending on the store or item.
“Certain items like clothing items, and even a lot of the seasonal stuff, I think striking while the iron is hot does make more sense because we do have limited inventory," Lederman said.
Lederman said Lucy Rose plans to announce its deals for the weekend on their social media Wednesday to entice shoppers to stop by.
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