By ALEXANDRA SMITH
Sports Editor
As the holiday season draws near, shoppers across the country look forward to Black Friday to grab the best deals on this season’s hottest gifts.
Black Friday shopping may be evolving to cater to a younger generation. Just over half of U.S. adults plan to shop on Black Friday this year, according to the results of a holiday shopping trends survey by IPSOS and conducted on behalf of Offers.com. Of those consumers shopping on Black Friday, 35 percent plan to shop primarily online, 28 percent plan to shop mainly in stores and 37 percent will shop both online and in stores.
This study also showed that 18 to 34-year-olds will shop on Black Friday more than any other age group. 26 percent will shop primarily online, 24 percent will shop online and in stores and 17 percent plan to shop primarily in stores.
“People aren’t as excited to fight the crowds to get doorbusters,” said Offers.com CEO Steve Schaffer.
“In fact, only 31 percent plan to shop at retailers that open on Thanksgiving, and more and more consumers are skipping the stores altogether and shopping online. This has transformed Black Friday into a weeklong online event, not just a one-day shopping bonanza.”
So how should students plan to shop on Black Friday? The majority, 60 percent, of those planning to head to the stores on Black Friday will do so before 8 a.m.
Plan to wake up early and be ready to fight off the crowds, especially if you are planning to shop at retail stores.