SANFORD, Fla. – The ringing of the Salvation Army bell often signifies the sound of the holiday season.
It was a familiar sound on Black Friday, the official day of shopping that begins after the Thanksgiving leftovers are packed away.
The Seminole Town Center has seen its share of shoppers looking for deals. The shopping center opened its doors at 6 p.m. Thursday.
Customer Hector Fieueroa held off shopping Thanksgiving night, but Friday morning it was game on.
"I feel like it's less busy than last year. I don't know if it's because they have some other Black Friday online," Fieueroa said.
But you won't hear him complaining about it.
"For me, it's better as a customer because I can get what I want," Fieueroa said.
Not as many people may be standing in lines that are wrapped around stores as in years past, but that doesn't mean shoppers aren't out.
According to the National Retail Federation, an estimated 137 million people will be out trying to grab a deal.
Seminole Town Center's general manager said the shopping center wasn't as packed this Black Friday, but he attributes that to opening doors on Thanksgiving.
"The mall was full last night. It was absolutely amazing. The mall was full today. So, it's been fun," said Julee Wagner, manager at Winery Wench Pub.
This is the first year Wagner has worked a Black Friday. Like many other people, she's opting for some online shopping.
When asked if she feared that trend could cause some stores to lose sales, she said she's not too worried.
"We're a bar. We're wine and beer. So, really, you can't get us online," Wagner said.
Not everyone was in shopping mode.
Michelle Lee followed the Black Friday crowd years ago. She's since swapped it out for gym time.
"When you go through a store, through a little maze, and you get to the end looking for the product after you wait two hours in the morning to get into the store and find out that it's sold out -- I decided it wasn't for me," Lee said.
Other shoppers opted for a massage or joined Wagner at the bar.
"People were really receptive. They were ready to come and drink and then go shopping and spend some more money and come back and drink some more and spend some more money," Wagner said.