Tame but steady flow of shoppers out for Tallahassee Black Friday holiday sales

Compared to the Black Friday frenzy in recent years when shoppers stampeded inside stores and camped out in long lines, this year's experience was far more tame. Customers ebbed and flowed with ease at major stores throughout the city.

At 5 a.m., Walmart, Best Buy, Kohl's, Old Navy, JCPenney and Dick's Sporting Goods opened their doors. Macy's and Bed Bath & Beyond followed at 6 a.m. before Target and GameStop opened at 7 a.m.

Throughout the city, customers waited in line to get into stores like Five Below and Costco.

A short-lived line formed outside Best Buy when it opened as an employee monitored the number of customers allotted inside. Many customers were still lured by TV deals, along with a host of electronics and games.

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At Macy's, customers took advantage of door buster deals, however, there wasn't an abundance of merchandise on the floor.

Over at Academy Sports + Outdoors, customers snagged deals on foosball tables, basketball hoops and other game tables first thing Friday morning, according to store director Chris Mitchell.

“We've had a nice steady morning and everyone is leaving happy,” said Mitchell.

Sales on name brand shoes and clothing were also popular with Academy shoppers.

Sarah Bender and her daughter Rachael, 13, always shop for clothes for their family for the coming year.

”We stock up at Christmas and look ahead to the coming years for trends coming and deals on those trends,” said Bender.

She and her daughter were headed off to American Eagle, Bath and Body Works, Target and Pandora once they finished up at Academy.

"We're shocked that both stores we've gone to this morning that we were able to walk right up to the register," said Bender. "I've been in the past and expected it to be a lot busier."

Closer into town at Governor’s Marketplace, Ulta had a line of about 10 customers ready to check out with their Black Friday finds at 8 a.m.

More: Supply chain crisis impacts Tallahassee businesses, tests shoppers during busy holiday season

Ulta offered deals on mascara, foundation and popular brands like Tarte and Urban Decay. Makeup lovers were eager to grab stocking stuffers and gifts.

With the delays in shipping due to the backlog in supply chains, Ulta prepared for customers to shop in-person.

“We have a strong supply chain but aren't immune to the supply chain risks,” said general manager Jereka Bennet. "We're proactively working with brands to prioritize receipts and make sure we have an adequate inventory for the holiday season."

Consumer spending online in United States will probably climb to a record, even though sales may not be as strong as initially expected, according to Bloomberg.com.

The site said Adobe Analytics estimated consumers spent $5.1 billion to $5.4 billion online Thursday, it said in an emailed statement, lowering the top end of its range from $5.9 billion.

Reach photojournalist Alicia Devine at adevine@tallahassee.com or on Twitter @alicia_c_devine. Check out her photos on Instagram @adevinephotography.

Contact TaMaryn Waters at tlwaters@tallahassee.com or follow @TaMarynWaters on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tallahassee Black Friday shoppers picked up deals in modest crowds