Recent surveys show Pennsylvanians are following national trends which show people plan to spend more money on gifts compared to last year.
Traditionally, the day after Thanksgiving- Black Friday- marks the start of the Christmas shopping and buying season but Brian Rider, CEO of the Pennsylvania Retailers Association, says for many, the season got underway well before today.
“We are cautiously optimistic that the overall increase in sales will exceed last year’s increase,” Rider said. “Pennsylvania generally trends very close to numbers that we see on a national level.”
In one recent survey, more than half of consumers said they began their shopping weeks if not months ago.
“Consumers are looking for great prices and promotions earlier than ever,” he said. “Retailers are answering those demands by offering Black Friday deals the day after Halloween.”
An overwhelming majority of stores in Butler were closed on Thanksgiving Day- at least in the morning and afternoon. There were a few that were open early Thursday.
But after 5 a.m. Friday, the hustle and bustle of the impending shopping season really got underway. The Clearview Mall in Center Township was packed with shoppers, with no foreseeable end in sight.
Locally-owned, ‘mom and pop’ businesses are preparing for what they hope will be an onslaught of shoppers on Saturday for what’s become known as ‘Small Business Saturday.’
The Butler Downtown organization is encouraging local residents to ‘Shop Small.’
A ‘Shop Small’ headquarters will be set up inside the Butler County Symphony Orchestra offices on Main Street and open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Shoppers can enjoy hot beverages and snacks, and sign up for giveaways.
The post Experts: Pennsylvanians To Spend More This Holiday Season Than Last appeared first on Inside Butler County – Butler, PA.
