BLACK FRIDAY

Holiday sales rose as American spending remained resilient during the critical shopping season despite surging prices on everything from food to rent, according to one measure.

Now, the tradition of Americans scouring the shelves for the best holiday deals, shopping until they drop, continues on into the week after the Thanksgiving holiday.

A man was injured in an Orlando shooting on Black Friday, police said.

Shoppers eager to start holiday shopping but weighed down by inflation are hunting for the best deals at stores and online this Black Friday.

An estimated 114 million people plan to shop this year, part of the 166.3 million planning to shop from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday, according to the National Retail Federation.

While Black Friday will mark a return to familiar holiday shopping patterns, uncertainty still remains.

Thankfully, for pre-thanksgiving travel, the weather was relatively quiet. But for return travel, it may be a different story with a large storm system diving into the southern Plains this Black Friday.

Central Florida’s theme parks are offering some deep deals for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

For those of you looking to get the best bang for your buck on the eve of Black Friday, the harsh truth is that many stores are anticipated to be closed on Turkey Day.

SeaWorld Orlando is once again offering Black Friday deals with discounts on entry to the park, food, tours and more.

The Florida Gators will play against the Florida State Seminoles on Black Friday this year, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced Monday night.

U.S. consumer confidence fell to a nine-month low in November, held back by rising worries about inflation and lingering concerns about the coronavirus.

Americans are spending freely and going back to store shopping, knocking out some of the momentum in online sales from last year when Americans were making many of their purchases exclusively via the internet.

While thousands hit the big stores for Black Friday, local shop owners are hoping the crowds will turn out for Small Business Saturday.

Thousands of Central Florida shoppers line up outside stores for the unofficial start to the holiday shopping season,

Climate activists have blockaded Amazon warehouses in three European countries.

Don’t miss these Black Friday Sale handpicked gift deals

A full list of places around Central Florida to get the best Black Friday deals.

It’s a post-Thanksgiving holiday many shoppers look forward to every year: Black Friday.

The latest cooldown in Central Florida is keeping some local water parks closed over the next few days.

Legoland Florida Resort introduced its biggest sale of the year Tuesday.

Here we go again.

Gatorland has announced a series of sharp-toothed special offers for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

With the holiday season officially here, many people are likely looking ahead to Black Friday, and anticipating all the deals and promotions we’ll be seeing next week.

Consumer Reports has found the best discounts on TVs and other tech, as well as mattresses and kitchen products.

Black Friday is a week away but SeaWorld in Orlando and Busch Gardens in Tampa have already released their sales for the holidays.

SeaWorld Orlando’s Discovery Cove announced exclusive early Black Friday offers with up to 50% savings on Thursday.

That trend of being closed is continuing for some retailers again this Thanksgiving.

Joining in on the trend of other large retailers, Target will also kick off its Black Friday deals early.

Walmart is joining the fray to kick off the holiday buying frenzy early.

Happy Prime Day! Not sure where to start or why you should care? Let us explain.

Nearly 156 years after Juneteenth was first celebrated in Texas, the United States government will recognize it as a federal holiday.

Another major retailer is joining the list of stores choosing to stay closed on Thanksgiving.

FILE - In this Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020 file photo, people walk through the parking lot at a Target store in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)It’s not even Valentine’s Day and Target is already making 2021 holiday plans. The retailer announced it will be closed on Thanksgiving Day again. Target and other retailers were closed this past Thanksgiving to help reduce crowds and flatten the curve amid the coronavirus pandemic. Target also announced its holiday sales for November and December were up more than 17% from the year before.

U.S. retail sales fell a seasonally adjusted 1.1% in November, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. The Commerce Department on Wednesday also revised October’s report, saying that retail sales fell 0.1% that month, instead of rising 0.3% as it previously reported. Economists expect retail sales to fall again this month as virus cases spike and states add more restrictions. “It will take a miracle to keep retail sales positive in December," said Chris Rupkey, chief financial economist at global financial group MUFG. The few bright spots were online sales, which rose 0.2%, supermarket sales, up 1.9%, and sales at home improvement stores, which were up 1.1%.

All rights reserved)Amazon is reporting record-breaking sales over the holiday shopping season so far. The company said on Tuesday that this year’s holiday shopping season has been its largest. Amazon said small and medium-sized businesses that use the platform took-in nearly $5 billion between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, a 60% jump from last year. The firm says sales grew 22% for the period from Thanksgiving Day and Cyber Monday. Analysts say it is evident that the pandemic is leading more people to shop online.

Black Friday online sales hit a new record this year as pandemic-wary Americans filled virtual carts instead of real ones. Consumers spent an estimated $9 billion on U.S. retail websites on Black Friday, according to Adobe Analytics, which tracks online shopping. Field said stores may be rethinking the cost of paying employees and opening on Thanksgiving when they could easily make up for those sales online. Adobe expects Monday to be the largest online sales day in U.S. history, with estimated spending of $10.8 billion to $12.7 billion. One reason for the big numbers is that people are shopping online for things such as groceries and alcohol that they bought in person before the pandemic, Adobe said.

LEESBURG, Fla. – In downtown Leesburg, instead of Black Friday, they’re calling it Plaid Friday, encouraging people to shop local. “It’s been quieter, but we still have customers that are faithful,” said Dell Ross, owner of Doggibags Boutique. [TRENDING: Trump says he will leave if ... | Tropics still bubblin’ | Disney to lay off thousands more workers]Doggibags Boutique has been in downtown Leesburg for nearly 40 years. Leesburg is encouraging people to shop local through the "Plaid Friday" event. (WKMG 2020)Outside her shop, vendors are setting up for the Christmas Stroll event with live music and activities.

Shoppers in Central Florida are seeing a much different Black Friday experience as the COVID-19 pandemic has led to changes for holiday shopping this year. Most stores remained closed on Thanksgiving and spread-out deals to avoid large crowds. Many stores eliminated or reduced the number of doorbuster sales and limited the number of people allowed inside. “I was kind of shocked about that, but then again it was expected because a lot of people lost their jobs.”Some shoppers remained outside the store and instead opted for curbside pickup. Despite the concerns and financial strain on many families, the National Retail Federation expects holiday shopping to increase by as much as 5%.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office was twice called to a GameStop at River City Marketplace for a man accused of disrupting the Black Friday line outside the store, WJXT-TV reported. The next time the man showed up, his family came with him, witnesses said. Then he, three more adults and three kids tried to claim the spot in line where the chair was originally left, they said. He was just asked to leave, he had his kids here with him.” said Josh Lebeque, who was waiting outside the store. People in line say they were waiting for the Black Friday sale of the new Xbox and PlayStation.

(AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois has risen above 12,000 deaths from COVID-19, while also surpassing the 700,000 mark for confirmed coronavirus infections. The Health Department said the situation constituted an “alert,” and said that nationwide, infections had risen by over 8% last week. Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech have asked the FDA to allow emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate. The state health department reported 5,704 new cases on Friday, putting the state at 3,476 deaths and 295,001 cases since March. ___TORONTO — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he expects more than half of Canadians to receive a COVID-19 vaccine by next September.

Black Friday shoppers wear face masks as the leave Saks Fifth Avenue flagships store empty handed, Friday, Nov. 27, 2020, in New York. Crowds at stores were dramatically diminished as shoppers shifted online. Black Friday is projected to generate $10 billion in online sales, a 39% bump from the year ago period, according to Adobe. And Cyber Monday, the Monday after Thanksgiving, will remain the biggest online shopping day of the year with $12.7 billion in sales, a 35% jump. At a popular shopping area in St. Petersburg, Florida, several storefronts were empty, and the only line was at a plasma donation center.

Across the region, most stores were empty and shuttered on Thanksgiving, a stark contrast to years prior when the deep discounts began on Turkey Day. He and several others said braving the Black Friday crowds just isn’t worth it this year. Last year, shoppers in Central Florida lined up hours early and many stores were even open on Thanksgiving Day. This year, many stores were closed on Thanksgiving since there won’t be as many customers. “That’s why I wanted to be here first and not crowded with a bunch of people.”For information on which stores will be open on Black Friday, click here.

ORLANDO, Fla – Usually Black Friday is packed with deals on TVs, clothing and stocking stuffers, but now families can grab a discounted vacation package from Universal Orlando Resort. The theme park is set to offer its best vacation package ever on Friday. The entire deal is valued at $2,154 but Universal said families that book can save as much as $1,292, based on a family of four. The incredible deal is limited in quantities and Universal stresses it will sell out fast. Universal is also offering Florida residents a limited time offer, which includes savings up to $100 on select annual passes until Dec. 17.

The approach of “Black Friday," originally scheduled for Nov. 27 in France, had brought the dilemma to a head. The director of Amazon France, Frederic Duval, told France Info radio on Friday before the meeting that the e-commerce distributor was ready to sign up to a delay. The delay applies only to Amazon France, he added. “If we can’t open our shops for Christmas it will be very difficult for the sector,” she said. “There are already a lot of flower shops that suffer greatly so, today, we need help and coherence.”

Thanksgiving Day will certainly be different for some amid the coronavirus pandemic. Social distancing precautions have caused some families to cancel holiday meals or adjust the way in which they gather. [TRENDING: Disney World increasing capacity | 250,000 space fans to drive near Cape for launch | Meteor shower coming soon]Retailers have also adjusted to the current times and many have elected to stay closed on Thanksgiving Day when normally they would be pushing Black Friday deals early. However, there are still a group of stores that have chosen to stay open on the holiday, according to BlackFriday.com. Here are the stores staying open on ThanksgivingBass Pro Shops: Opens at 8 a.m.Bealls: Open from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m.Big Lots: Open from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.Cabela’s: Open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.Claire’s: Open from 5 p.m. to midnightCVS: 24-hour locations openDollar General: Open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.Family Dollar: Open but hours vary by storeFive Below: Open from 6 p.m. to midnightFred Meyer: Normal hours of operationKmart: Open from 6 a.m. to midnightMeijer: Open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.Modell’s: Open from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.New York & Company: Opens at 6 p.m.Palais Royal: Open from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m.Peebles: Open from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m.Rite Aid: 24-hour locations are openStage Stores: Open from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m.Victoria’s Secret: Select stores are openWalgreens: 24-hour locations are open

Halloween is not even here yet, and Lowe’s is already kicking off its Christmas holiday shopping specials. The home improvement chain is starting its new “Seasons of Savings” sale Thursday. The big-box retailer believes the holiday shopping season this year will be unlike any other because of the pandemic. Instead of a traditional Black Friday sale, Lowe’s will offer daily online-only “cyber steals” starting Thursday through Dec. 2. The home improvement chain is also planning to offer gifts you might not expect from them, to become more of a one-stop shop for the holidays.

Millions of shoppers look forward to Black Friday deals each year, but the long lines and packed stores won’t be happening in 2020 -- at least not at Walmart. Walmart says it wants to adapt to the needs of its customers, so instead of one deal-filled day after Thanksgiving, there will be events throughout November. The company is calling the event Deals for Days. Walmart says shoppers will also be able to buy online and schedule a contact-free curbside pick up. The retailer says it will limit the number of people inside, stress social distancing and place products on one side of the aisle.

NEW YORK – Walmart says it will spread out its traditional one-day Black Friday deals over three weekends in November in an effort to reduce crowds in its stores during a pandemic. The discounter, based in Bentonville, Arkansas, will kick off the deals online Nov. 4, with new deals in stores on Nov. 7. The second event will begin online Nov. 11, followed by a similar sales event in stores Nov. 14. It will wrap up its discounts online Nov. 25 with new discounts in stores Nov. 27, the day after Thanksgiving and the traditional Black Friday. This holiday season, many stores are starting their holiday deals in October.

(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)NEW YORK – Add last-minute holiday shopping to the list of time-honored traditions being upended by the coronavirus pandemic. Black Friday has long been the unofficial start to the U.S. holiday season, though retailers have been pushing holiday shopping earlier for the last decade or so. The first big holiday push will come from Amazon, which is positioning its mid-October Prime Day as a kickoff to the holiday shopping season. Even with the early start to the season, holiday sales are expected to deliver smaller gains than in recent years. Joel Bines, who runs the retail practice at AlixPartners, thinks the earlier shopping will stick even when the pandemic is over.

Amazon Prime Day is set for Oct. 13 and 14, the company announced Monday. Prime Day is Amazon’s version of Christmas in the summer, with sales routinely outpacing Black Friday. Amazon Prime Vice President Jamil Ghani says the company thinks Prime Day will be bigger this year than ever before. Amazon has thrived during the pandemic as consumers purchase more goods online to limit store visits. The company reported $88.9 billion in sales during its latest quarter ending June 30, a 40% jump from the same period a year earlier.

Walmart is getting ready to go online with its Black Friday plan by hiring more than 20,000 seasonal workers. Instead, Walmart says they will be a part of its e-commerce fulfillment centers across the country. The company said it expects to see a spike in online shopping this year. For instance, the company says it will spread traditional Black Friday deals throughout the season. Walmart typically kicks off Black Friday with in-store deals on Thanksgiving.

NEW YORK Target is joining Walmart in closing its stores on Thanksgiving Day, ending a decadelong tradition of jump-starting Black Friday door buster sales. Now, the virus has turned the holiday shopping model upside down. Historically, deal hunting and holiday shopping can mean crowded events, and this isnt a year for crowds, Minneapolis-based Target said in a corporate blog posted. Despite competition from Thanksgiving shopping, Black Friday ranks as either the top or No. Like Target, other retailers will also likely start holiday sales even earlier to stretch out crowds.

But we’re referring to Corona beer and Cinco de Mayo. Typically, the dominant choice of beer for those celebrating Cinco de Mayo is Corona. But Corona likely will be consumed way less than usual due to the coronavirus pandemic, that is unrelated in name. In February, a report in the Denver Post said Corona was taking a public relations hit due to people fearing they would get coronavirus by drinking Corona. Cinco de Mayo has surpassed St. Patrick’s Day and the Super Bowl for beer consumption on one day, with Corona virtually holding a monopoly on advertising and sales for beer on Cinco de Mayo, according to Loop Insights.

FILE - In this Nov. 29, 2019, file photo a shopper carries a crockpot during Target's Black Friday sale in the Borough of New York. Shopping at sales and using coupons may not be saving you as much money as you think. Knowing the pitfalls and having a plan can help keep your holiday shopping from coming back to bite you in January. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File)

“Buy Nothing Day” -- ever heard of it?

ClickOrlando.com's Brianna Volz is helping you prepare for Black Friday shopping. If you need help with the Public File, call 407-291-6000.

FILE - In this Nov. 22, 2018, file photo people wait in line in front of an adjacent pet store for a Best Buy store to open for an early Black Friday sale on Thanksgiving Day in Overland Park, Kan. Black Friday is Nov. 29, 2019, but it might as well be the whole month of November. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

Some people cringe at the thought of shopping on Thanksgiving or Black Friday, but I revel in it. You can snag savings throughout November, but despite early deals, retailers like Walmart, Target and Best Buy reserve some of their best bargains for Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday. Retailers like Amazon, Best Buy and Kohl's have done this in the past. Years prior, I stood in a two-hour line at Best Buy to purchase a single TV. Select the best deals and stick to those items.