Retailers Trying New Ways To Lure Customers
BOSTON (CBS) – Black Friday is the biggest shopping event of the year. The day of crowds, cold, and deals is almost here. This holiday season retailers are trying new ways to lure you on the day after Thanksgiving and beyond.
This Manchester mother-daughter shopping team can't wait to hit the stores on Black Friday, "for me it's like Christmas morning."
"It's a great experience, my daughter and I have been doing it for a long time."
This year, shoppers can expect wild markdowns on televisions, tablets, video games, and winter gear.
Don't despair if you miss out on the limited quantity 4am doorbuster deals. Many stores will be rolling out deals throughout the day or even all weekend long.
Read: Black Friday: When Do Malls, Stores Open?
"We're seeing already more peaked interest than we have in previous years," says Chris Perfetti, manager of a Best Buy store.
More than ever -- retailers want shoppers to walk in and buy -- and not just browse. The big thing this holiday shopping season is price matching.
"We're not going to let anyone use us as any kind of showroom," says Perfetti. "We're going to be the place where people come in and buy the product, and get those prices."
It's a holiday first for retailers like Best Buy and Target, who will match online prices on specific websites. However, the online price match may not be available for the Thanksgiving weekend shopping bonanza.
Retailers are looking for innovative ways to get consumers into the store. Ken Perkins tracks retail trends from his Swampscott office.
He says the price match is just one way stores hope to get shoppers excited, "you want to create an experience for them to come in and make it worth their while.
Perkins also recommends looking for last-minute deals announced on websites and sent straight to your inbox.
If there's a gift you must have under the tree, buy it while you can still find it. However, overall inventory levels are expected to be decent and procrastination can pay off.
"You probably can get just as good a deal as the season progresses and closer to Christmas," says Perkins.
Both our pros have the same advice for bargain hunters before hitting the stores -- go out there and research, and do your homework.
This advice will make sure you're spreading holiday cheer at the lowest price possible. The average holiday shopper is expected to spend nearly $750 this season, an increase of $10 from 2011.
