Black Friday, once the busiest day to kick off the holiday shopping season, looks different than it used to.
As shopping habits change, many consumers are turning their attention to Small Business Saturday, a day dedicated to supporting local shops and strengthening communities.
Jordyn Younger, a Roanoke resident and shopper, recalled, “I remember growing up my cousins were waking up at 3 a.m. to go shopping.”
Out-of-town shopper Lea Pita added, “Before, it used to be such a big deal, you know, you’d put it in your calendar.”
Black Friday has long been the traditional start of holiday shopping, but shoppers say it has recently felt a lot quieter.
Lea said, “I think now I feel like it is a lot less chaotic with the whole online now.”
Jordyn agreed, “People are definitely shopping online more, and they don’t really care anymore, the deals aren’t as good as they used to be.”
Here in Roanoke, small businesses are responding with their own deals on Small Business Saturday.
Melissa Mays, co-owner of chocolatepaper, said, “Well, the store is jammed packed as you can see with people and with goodies. We are offering a 15 percent coupon with every purchase.”
Crystal McBroom, owner of La Di Da, shared, “We have 10 percent off the entire store, and we’re also giving away free T-shirts and hoodies if you spend $200 or $300, and they’re designed by local artists.”
As Black Friday continues to change, the overall shopping scene evolves, and small businesses are adapting.
Melissa noted, “It’s interesting how Black Friday has morphed. I love that Small Business Saturday is after that and downtown is so busy on Friday as well because people are looking for that experience. You know, everyone is using it for a hook.”
Crystal added, “I have seen a shift where I do think the community is supporting small businesses a little bit more and boycotting the big block stores which I love to see.”
Melissa emphasized, “But shopping local is key for a lot of livelihoods down here, as well as just the economy in general.”
If you’re looking for a different way to shop this holiday season, stop by your favorite local shop this Small Business Saturday.
Top Deals this Black Friday
This year, the overall average discount for Black Friday is 37%, so shoppers are advised to aim for this discount amount or higher.
According to a WalletHub study, these are the top ten Black Friday retailers this year:
- JCPenney at 74.08%
- Belk 72.42%
- Kohl’s 45.39%
- Macy’s 44.46%
- The Home Depot at 35.63%
- BJ’s at 31.26%
- Amazon at 29.63%
- Target at 29.36%
- Newegg at 28.80%
- Best Buy at 28.58%