The holiday shopping season is about to move into high gear.
Michigan Retailers Association spokeswoman Meegan Holland says a recent survey shows store owners are very confident going into Black Friday.
“Almost a quarter expect to increase prices a little bit,” says Holland, “and that shows real confidence that they can get people through the door.”
The National Retail Federation predicts 164 million people will shop over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, both in-person and online.
Retailers will once again offer big deals and early hours to lure shoppers into their stores for the start of the holiday season. But they'll also try to get shoppers out of their stores faster by minimizing the thing they hate most: long lines.
Walmart, Target and other large retailers are sending workers throughout their stores to check customers out with mobile devices. At Macy's, shoppers can scan and pay for items on their own smartphones.
Retailers hope the changes will make in-store shopping less of a hassle. Long lines can irritate shoppers, who may leave the store empty handed and spend their money elsewhere, or go online.
