Shoppers Bemoan Early Rush, Few Sales
By Jenna Johnson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, November 30, 2008
This year's economic crisis made the hunt for Black Friday bargains even more frenetic for many Southern Maryland residents.
Armed with shopping lists and coupons, thousands of people descended on strip malls and shopping centers before the sun had come up Friday. They battled parking lot gridlock and lines outside stores but found bargains on flat-screen TVs, diamond bracelets, toaster ovens, Barbie dolls, flannel pants and other items.
Still, the best bargains were snatched up in minutes, and shoppers arriving later were out of luck.
"Everything's gone," said Eric Wetzel of Golden Beach, who stopped at a Burlington Coat Factory about 9:30 a.m. before heading to the St. Charles Towne Center in Waldorf.
"You think you would see a lot of sales, but when you get in, you don't see the sales," said Karen Long of Washington, who said she left home with her daughter before 6 a.m. to go shopping in Clinton and Waldorf. "Trust me, I haven't found any bargains yet."
Organizations that track retail activity the day after Thanksgiving predicted that Black Friday specials would attract more shoppers this year than last. Most shoppers are expected to buy items on sale and limit the presents they buy, according to polls conducted by the Maritz Research Retail Group.
The average person is predicted to spend about $546 this year, compared with $637 last year, according to the poll. This year, the estimated number of people who plan to pay for most of their holiday purchases by credit card is slightly down from last year but higher than in most years, according to the National Retail Federation.
Many people began their belt-tightening earlier this year and have been skipping extravagant expenditures, including the fiberglass pools that Kenny Norleen of St. Mary's County sells and installs.
After a rough summer of low sales, Norleen launched a holiday decorating franchise to earn money for himself and his two employees. But he said he quickly learned that not many people are hiring professionals to decorate their homes with lights and garland.
By mid-November, Norleen had only a handful of clients and had trouble giving away his services to a member of the military.
"Honestly, it was a little bit more of a challenge than I thought it would be," he said. People "are trying to cut where they can."
Long, of Washington, said she is trying to cut back this holiday, especially after some of her investments took a tumble in the stock market. But she said she refuses to cut too much or stop donating to certain programs, such as those that support troops in Iraq and veterans.
"It's not just about cutting back," she said. "It's about letting people know that you care about them. Even with the stock market what it is, you have to remind people that you love them."
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