Shoppers on the hunt for best Black Friday deals
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Black Friday marks the unofficial start to the holiday season.
While many are opting to buy online these days, more than 130 million people are expected to head to brick and mortar stores.
Eyewitness News found plenty of people lining to try to get in to American Dream and New York City's flagship Macy's store as early as possible.
While Friday is one of the biggest shopping days of the year, some shoppers may not spend as much this year.
High costs, the government shutdown and job numbers are all contributing factors. So many big retailers are rolling out deep discounts to entice shoppers.
But a recent survey found shoppers will spend about 4% less this Black Friday and Cyber Monday compared to last year and they will spend about $622.
Nearly two thirds of shoppers plan to use financing options, including apps like Klarna, Afterpay and Affirm which allow shoppers to buy now and pay later in installments with no interest.
"That tightening of the budget, we really see coming from concerns about rising prices, as well as concerns about the future outlook of the economy over the next six to 12 months, said Deloitte retail specialist Rebecca Lohrey.
According to Adobe Analytics, Thanksgiving Day was the best time to shop online to get the deepest discount on sporting goods. But Black Friday will be the best time to buy TVs, toys and appliances online.
Cyber Monday, however, should be the best time to buy apparel and computers. Apparel discounts peaked at 12.2% off the suggested manufacturer's price between Nov. 1 and Nov. 23 but are expected to hit 25% off on Cyber Monday, Adobe said.
Make sure to check out abc7ny.com/shop for more great deals.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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