Black Friday may be a thing of the past

As Americans get ready to stuff and baste turkey, millions seem equally excited about Black Friday.

Many shoppers around the country are starting to wonder if oversaturation is killing the famous yearly Black Friday sales event, with people lining up around the block in for a low price on a new TV or camera.

Now that more stores are opening their doors before they can digest their Thanksgiving meal, Black Friday might be a thing of the past.

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More shoppers are skipping the long lines outside retailers on Friday morning, because many Black Friday deals start on Thanksgiving night, with many stores opening around 6 p.m.

According to the National Retail Federation, fewer consumers are hitting the stores because of the increase in promotions that are released days, or even weeks, before Black Friday hits. Those sales create less urgency to get the best deal, causing fewer lines of campers.

“There's a lot of early access deals that I saw online, so if the stores start releasing them earlier, then I think the camping is going to be phased out,” five-year camper, Cheryl Labao, said.

But not everyone feels that way. BA Lein has been camping out for Black Friday for 12 years and said she doesn’t plan to stop.

“There's always something good to get," Lein said. "With the limited amount of items that each stores have, the big ticket items, the way the economy is, no, I don't think the camping out will stop. Because people don't want to spend $500 or $600 for something that they can get for $150.

But the NRF said that’s not what the numbers are saying. It said that half of this year’s holiday shopping will be done digitally, as many online stores are offering exclusive online deals and free shipping.

Even though the thoughts on Black Friday continuing are split, there is one thing that most people can agree on. Most people believe Thanksgiving should be reserved to spend with loved ones.

“I just wish they would go back to Friday so people could spend time with their families on Thanksgiving, instead of being out here. I would like that. I liked it better when it was on Fridays,” Lein said.