WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. — It was just below 40 degrees and lightly raining when the Lehigh Valley Mall opened for Black Friday shopping.
- About 20 people waited outside to get in the Lehigh Valley Mall for Black Friday deals
- The mall used to open at midnight, but this year, it opened at 6 a.m. to a small crowd
- Many shoppers said they came mainly for the tradition
It was miserable weather for what people might used to expect of Black Friday: long lines in front of stores with people waiting since the early hours of the morning to ensure they got the best deals.
But shoppers say Black Friday has changed a lot since the onset of online shopping.
More folks shop virtually, and this year analysts predict the pressures of inflation could put a crimp in Black Friday crowds and holiday shopping growth in general.
Around 5:45 a.m., 20 people or so scattered outside the entrance to the mall — one of the biggest retail hubs in the Lehigh Valley.
They didn’t even form a line to get inside. Once the doors opened, the only line for any of the stores in the first couple of hours was at Starbucks.
Russ Stager of Northampton Borough came with his two sons. He said he wasn’t looking to buy anything in particular — he was just continuing a tradition.
“It's the experience more than the buying. So for whatever reason, we've just decided to start doing this where we get up super early and not buy anything.”Russ Stager, Black Friday shopper
“It's the experience more than the buying,” Stager said. “So for whatever reason, we've just decided to start doing this where we get up super early and not buy anything.”
MORE: Inflation weighing on consumers this Black Friday
Judy Kirkendall said she used to live in the Lehigh Valley and went to the mall Friday, also out of tradition. She’s come to the mall with her sister and her daughter for over a decade, and they still come every year, even though Kirkendall now lives in Virginia.
Kirkendall said the mall used to open at midnight for Black Friday, and it used to be a lot more crowded early on.
“You couldn’t move,” she said.
It's not just the shoppers. Retailers have changed their habits, too.
Many moved away from opening early on Black Friday — some even on Thanksgiving evening — or offering steep markdowns only at the start of what traditionally has been the busiest shopping day of the year.
Allentown resident Madison Baptiste came to the mall with her mom and her aunt. It was her first time Black Friday shopping, and she said it wasn’t what she anticipated.
“Not a lot of people are here than I expected, but it's still Black Friday,” Baptiste said.
The Lehigh Valley Mall will be open all day Friday, until 9 p.m., then reopen again for holiday shopping at 9 a.m. Saturday.
