Cortez retailers are rested and ready to take on the crowds seeking Black Friday deals.
“We’re ready. We’ve all been popping vitamins and getting ready to go,” Walmart manager Ron Knezk joked.
Along with Bealls, Walmart was one of the select retailers in Cortez that planned to open on Thanksgiving Day, kicking off their super sales not long before the tryptophan wore off.
While it’s usually the poster child for Black Friday madness across America, Knezk says Black Friday shoppers in Cortez are usually relatively tame. Walmart allows shoppers to start lining up at 5 a.m., before the doors officially open at 6 a.m.
“It’s the same people who shop here every weekend, so we’re not expecting anything crazy,” he said.
Knezk advised deal-seekers to scope out items ahead of time and come with a list, to avoid becoming a victim of the Black Friday rush.
“Map it out online first. We do have sale information and department maps in the store, but sometimes its more fun to plan it out at home,” he said.
Big R assistant manager Kathy Dykes also advised Black Friday shoppers to arrive with a game plan. Big R planned to open at 6 a.m.
“Come with a list, and come early to get what you want,” she said.
The early hours and crowds aren’t for everyone, however, with many opting to scour online deals instead.
According to the Associated Press, the Monday after Thanksgiving generated nearly $2.04 billion in online sales last year, up 17 percent from the previous year according to research firm comScore Inc.
That represented the heaviest online spending day in history and the first to surpass $2 billion in sales, said the firm, which tracks online sales.