JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The holiday shopping season officially begins on Black Friday, and according to the Florida Retail Federation, people in the Sunshine State are expected to spend an average of $935 on gifts this year.
That includes:
- $590 on gifts for family, friends and co-workers
- $207 on decorations, flowers and greeting cards
- $140 on themselves
Among some of this year’s hot items are Fitbits, DreamVision glasses and hover boards. Toys, clothes and much more will be discounted on the busiest shopping day of the year.
Walmart is one of hundreds of retailers nationwide offering deals on Black Friday.
“The biggest deals -- we've got 11 TVs in the ad; there's a 55-inch TV for $298,” said Kenny Weeks, store manager at the Beach Boulevard Walmart. “Drones are really big this year. Of course, toys, video games are always a big thing.”
Weeks said his store has been prepping for months.
“With Walmart, we're just here to try and make it simple for the customer,” Weeks said. “There's one event starting at 6 p.m. in the store, but also the online starts at midnight on Thursday and makes it very easy for customers that are making dinner for their families and they can have the item shipped to the store for free.”
We know the toy and games aisles are going to be packed because of great deals, but shoppers will also save money on things like footwear and clothing.
Some other popular categories for Black Friday shopping include men’s and women’s accessories, cosmetics and fragrance, electronics and even gift cards.
“My 17-year-old daughter wants to go to Ulta, and we'll probably hit the St. Johns Town Center,” shopper Dacia Batchelor said. “I guess just to save money and to teach our kids to be thrifty.”
Joe Krier, with Krier Wealth Management, said this year’s retail forecast is looking positive.
“The regular unemployment rate is down to 4.7 percent right now, which is excellent,” Krier said. “It also means for retailers hiring people for part-time help, they're going to have to pay a little bit more to get those because it's more competitive to get the workers, so theoretically if workers are making a little bit more, they'll spend a little bit more, and the whole cycle helps the economy.”
As a financial planner, Krier reminds consumers to stick with a budget so they're not regretting how much they spent come the new year.
He said customers should make sure to have a plan and get shopping done sooner rather than later so they're not stuck making poor last-minute decisions.