Call it “Bleak Friday.” 

The mad tradition of running out bleary-eyed at dawn to snag Black Friday door-busting deals faded this holiday season, as online shopping appears to have taken the joy out of the traditional deadline deal hunt for some and a poll suggested that consumers hope to avoid doorbuster crowds.

“It’s not like it used to be,” said Alicia Smith, pushing a shopping cart big enough for a kid and a just few small Target purchases. “Black Friday just doesn’t mean as much to me as it used to.” 

Matthew Young was twisting and turning a bargain $1,500 75” Sony TV into the back of his SUV like a Rubik’s cube and then found out that Best Buy had free delivery.

“This TV was the same deal they’ve had for the past month!” he said. “I waited until Black Friday hoping they’d offer a better deal, but I didn’t save any money.”  

There were plenty of spaces in the parking lot at Park Meadows Shopping Center early Friday morning, but vehicles started streaming in after lunch.

General Manager Steven Sayers disagreed that Black Friday is a thing of the past.

“Black Friday is as strong as it’s been previously,” he said, “but it’s stretched out over a longer period of time.” 

Sayers does not consider online shopping outlets, such as Amazon, as a competitor because “they don’t offer designer retail like Park Meadows does.” Besides, he added, people still like to see and actually feel a product like a coat or try on jeans and be able to walk out of the store with them.

He feels malls will survive online buying because shoppers still love the tradition of welcoming the holidays by opening their wallets around Thanksgiving.  

Big spender Denver 

Denverites are anticipated to be among the biggest spenders in the country this year with the seventh-largest anticipated gain in year-over-year fourth quarter retail sales, according to CBRE’s annual Holiday Retail Trends Report.

“Many retailers are beginning their holiday sales earlier to resonate with shoppers closely managing their holiday budgets this year. Colorado retailers, while largely experiencing positive year-over-year same store sales growth, seem cautiously optimistic about sales this season and are using both their in-store and online presence to market deals,” said Jon Weisiger, senior vice president with CBRE in Denver, in a news release.

“Retail vacancy is at record low levels in Denver, which is likely to impact the number of holiday pop-up shops we see in the metro area this season. Landlords have multiple interested suitors for relatively few retail spaces in strong Class A centers,” Weisiger said. 

Still, nationally, sales are expected to see lackluster growth for 2023 in part because of economic uncertainty.  

The imbalance in customer spending has been brought on by inflation, high interest rates and the resumption of student loan payments.  

“Despite economic headwinds, retailers can still expect to have a solid holiday sales season, just not quite at the clip of past years,” said Laura Barr, Americas Retail Leader for CBRE, in a news release. “Additionally, retailers’ efforts to streamline the handling of inventories and processing of returns are expected to drive improved product availability and customer experiences.”

According to a holiday report from Deloitte, shoppers are shifting away from the Black Friday extravaganza, but they’re still anticipating seasonal spending at an average of $1,652 per household, up 14% over last year. On average, of that total, $1,020 will be spent on gifts and another $632 on buying experiences for people like movies, ski resort lift tickets and meals. 

The survey indicated that people falling into the middle-income bracket —  those who make between $50,000-$99,000 — would be spending the most money this season. Over a third of households said they have less to spend this year than last year. 

Consumers also said they find doorbusters less appealing and hope to avoid crowds. 

Still, the Deloitte survey predicted that 2023 will mark the first time that consumer spending will surpass pre-pandemic figures. 

‘Hit or miss’

In 2021, as the COVID pandemic was in full swing, 88% of Americans polled by Deloitte said they were revved up to celebrate the holidays. This year, the Deloitte found that nearly every consumer (95%) has plans to bring on the magic.  

Cody Bauman and his husband Tate are playing Santa for 15 poor children in Wyoming’s Laramie County School District. They drove all the way to Legoland in South Denver’s Lone Tree because Cheyenne “just doesn’t have the range of choices or the deals.”

From the Bauman’s, the children will receive Legos, coats and $150 Amazon tablets. They were disappointed but not crushed that the Denver metro area was not awash with sales.

“This Black Friday has been hit or miss,” Cody Bauman said.

It was the same for other shoppers whom The Denver Gazette approached in parking lots and on sidewalks outside of area stores.

Mary Sue Henderson used a $50 coupon for an Apple watch but she only bought Vaseline and Christmas wrap at Walmart.

Kanna Frasier was disappointed with PetSmart, but Michaels brought a smile to her face offering crafts for 60% off.

“I bought ribbon. Lots and lots of ribbon,” said Frasier.  

At the Christkindlmarket in Denver’s Civic Center Park, people were trickling in to the front entrance — which is flanked by two large nutcrackers. Lines were short for crepes and smoked salmon, where Luka Stanic was filling plates. He said the cold weather was keeping the crowds low so far this season, but that “hopefully it will turn around for the weekend.”

The majority of the European market crowd kept warm in the Bank of America Festival Hall drinking hot chocolate and warm apple cider in custom steins. 

Back in the burbs, Matthew Young and the Best Buy salesman finally wedged his huge television inside his vehicle and he drove off with plans to watch holiday programming with his children. Their choice of movies fit the mood on an overcast, after-feast Friday.

“We’re going to watch Ice Age,” he said. “Or Frozen.”  

The Denver Gazette’s videographer Tom Hellauer contributed to this report.