Consumers get early jump on Black Friday deals

Shelly Valdes of Las Vegas was out shopping at 9 a.m. at J.C. Penney at the Meadows mall like she does every year on Black Friday.

"I'm in search of deals," she said. "I'm hoping to see something I like."

Valdes said although many stores open on Thanksgiving, she'd rather wait until Black Friday.

"I go out every Black Friday to get out of the house and I'm off work so I want to enjoy it," she said. "I didn't want to fight the crowds (on Thursday)."

Although Valdes tried to avoid the crowds, Meadows mall was bustling as lines at J.C. Penney weaved in and out of the aisles and crowds spilled into the common area before noon on Black Friday.

More than 930,000 Nevadans were expected to shop on Black Friday while Cyber Monday three days later is expected to attract 1.7 million shoppers in the Silver State, the Retail Association of Nevada said.

Despite the throngs of people out shopping in Las Vegas, U.S. retailers' stock prices including Best Buy and Wal-Mart closed lower on Friday, according to Reuters news service, as discounts and door busters failed to draw big crowds to stores and shopping malls nationwide.

A survey by retail cash-back app Ibotta revealed that 65 percent of shoppers believe Black Friday isn't as big of a deal as it used to be.

Henderson resident Pete Deang wasn't one of those people as he waited patiently Thursday for a Best Buy in Henderson to open its doors at 5 p.m.

He had been in line for the past 33 hours.

"I got here at 8 a.m. yesterday morning," he said. "It was a little cold last night."

Deang's motive was saving nearly $300 on a 49-inch Toshiba television.

"It's a good price, you can't beat it," he said. "Last year, I bought televisions, too, but gave them away as gifts."

That's right. This Black Friday wasn't Deang's first rodeo.

He was first in line at Best Buy on Marks Street in Henderson last year, too.

"I'm an old pro," he said.

Deang's wife, Gloria, brought him something to eat Thursday afternoon before joining him in line at 3 p.m.

"It's nothing because I want him to save money," she said of her husband's decision. "Last year, we gave the televisions to our kids and this year we need one for ourselves."

Electronics were the most discounted items on Black Friday, followed by handbags, accessories and designer clothing, according to RetailMeNot shopping expert Kristen Larrea.

She said the company, which maintains a collection of coupon websites, surveyed consumers about Black Friday and found more than half start their holiday shopping as early as September.

"It's a trend we've seen continuously over the years because consumers have gotten savvier about how to save money when shopping," Larrea said. "They're shopping opportunistically throughout the year to lessen the impact to their budget by spreading out their purchases rather than getting hit with one big bill and going into debt."

The National Retail Federation is anticipating holiday sales to rise 3.7 percent, lower than last year's 4.1 percent growth rate, as a result of stagnant wages and sluggish job growth.

The economy is a factor in Southern Nevadans' shopping experiences.

Shahla Rouhani of Las Vegas was out shopping at Meadows mall on Black Friday for the first time in nearly 20 years. She said she's expecting to spend more money on holiday gifts this year because of a lifestyle change.

"I was expecting lower prices," she said while scouring the racks of clothing at J.C. Penney. "And it's not as busy as I thought."

Although they didn't camp out overnight, Jennifer and Tobben Fuller of Henderson waited in line for five hours at Best Buy in Henderson on Thursday evening to purchase small electronics for themselves.

"You get better deals," Tobben Fuller said. "I was a little too late a few years ago and missed out."

According to his wife, the couple also purchased gift cards for family and friends.

"We stopped shopping a few months ago to save up for today," she said. "We're able to get all of our shopping done so we have the next three days to relax."

The Ibotta survey also found that 87 percent of people plan to spend the same amount or less on holiday shopping this year.

Las Vegan Carol Guerra and her husband, Juan, are among those who plan to spend less because of the fact that they are in escrow on a home.

"We're trying not to go crazy on gifts because of the house," she said. "But my kids want more expensive things, so we'll probably end up spending more money but not give them as much."

Guerra was in search of clothing and housewares at J.C. Penney at the Galleria at Sunset mall nearly an hour after the store's 3 p.m. opening on Thanksgiving.

"I just like to shop, and my husband didn't want to, but we'll go home and relax after this," she said. "It's all about saving, and it's a madhouse because everyone's trying to save."

Check-out lines at J.C. Penney on Thanksgiving evening were at least 40 deep in some areas as people braved the crowds.

Guerra waited in line for nearly two hours at J.C. Penney.

"I go for the thrill of it and to save money," she said. "Is it worth it in the end? I think so."

Contact reporter Ann Friedman at afriedman@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4588. Find her on Twitter: @AnnFriedmanRJ