Black Friday Limps Toward Oblivion as Online Shopping Takes Over
- Earlier deals and mobile devices rob event of its luster
- Fewer lines: ‘I’ve never seen a Friday morning be this quiet’
Bargain Hunters Ditch Stores for Online Deals
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The decades-old retail tradition of Black Friday limped closer to obsolescence this year as online shopping and earlier discounts kept many brick-and-mortar customers at home.
E-commerce orders surged on Thanksgiving, the day before Black Friday, eliminating the need for shoppers to wait in long lines and fight for deals at physical shops. For consumers who did want to visit shopping centers, many stores were offering deals on Thursday evening.