Las Vegas NowShoppers Search Out Black Friday Deals

Shoppers Search Out Black Friday Deals

The registers were ringing during the Black Friday shop-a-thon.  Early reports indicate retailers got a much-needed boost.  Despite talk of economic doom and gloom.  Sales on the day after Thanksgiving rose to 10 point 6 billion dollars.   That's up almost 3 percent from last year.  

Those numbers are from a research firm that track sales at 50-thousand retail outlets. While it isn't a predictor of holiday season sales. It does show people's willingness to spend during the holidays. Local retailers are reporting strong Black Friday sales as well.  

At the Toys-R-Us store on Meadows Lane in Henderson. Retailers definitely have a plan to keep shoppers coming through the doors. To counter our down economy -- retailers like Toys-R-Us say they made some big changes heading into Black Friday and those changes are expected to translate into bigger savings for consumers throughout the holiday season. 

Elmo Live --- was back in action today after all the Black Friday chaos cleared the top seller from the floor. Chase Smith, The Toys-R-Us store manager says, "After yesterday, this whole section was eliminated. We were shopped clear down to the floor but our overnight guys came in and filled us back up."

The Henderson store manager says yesterday's sales more than surpassed their expectations. "We had the biggest turnout I've seen the three years that I've managed the Henderson location." Smith credits the jump to a decision by the corporation to open all three Las Vegas stores at Midnight Thanksgiving Day -- five hours earlier than usual. "This is the first time we've done that and we had at least 200 people waiting outside to come in at Midnight." 

Meanwhile, a little boy shopped the aisles: "I want that and that and that." 

Sales remained swift Saturday among shoppers who deliberately avoided the Black Friday chaos. Vonna Bajoneta commented, "I just didn't want to deal with all the crowds." And Charlotte Galyean says the crowds were too much for her: "I tried -- but it looked so packed it scared me so I left and went home." 

Retailers say that with plenty of stock still in supply they plan to offer deep discounts throughout the holiday season to encourage shoppers to spend in this down economy.  "Toys-R-Us will continue with our weekly ads and a lot of 2-day sales and early bird specials, " Chase Smith said, "So a lot of huge deals will continue throughout the stores." 

To give you an idea of why a strong Black Friday is so critical most retailers count on the holidays to bring in about 40 percent of their total annual sales. Toy stores like these count on the holidays for an even bigger chunk of their annual sales as much as 60 percent!