Black Friday mall traffic was one of those guaranteed days when local malls could count on being busy.
But last Black Friday, foot traffic at nine area shopping destinations remained lower than in 2019, writes Erin McCarthy for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Part of the decline comes from less promotional emphasis on a single day of sales. Deals now start days and weeks before Thanksgiving.
Even so, for PREIT-owned malls, like the Springfield Mall, Black Friday is still the busiest day of the year, according to Joe Coradino, former CEO of PREIT.
“Our data shows that the traffic pattern has shifted a bit to be more steady throughout the day, whereas it historically had been an early-morning push for doorbuster deals,” Coradino said
The Black Friday allure is fading, replaced by online shopping, said Jillian Hmurovic, an assistant professor of marketing at Drexel University’s Lebow College of Business.
There are still some diehard in-person Black Friday fans.
“Oh my god, the tradition, the energy, trying to be the first one in line,” said Mary Miles, 56, of Upper Darby. She’s shopped in person on Black Friday for more than two decades.
“It has changed, but I just love the rush of it.” Read more about the changes to Black Friday in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
This ABC News video from nine years ago reminds us of how Black Friday used to be.
Editor’s Note: This post first appeared on DELCO Today in November 2023.
