CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) – What’s normally a very crowded Charleston Town Center is quieter than usual this year. But in some stores, Black Friday is going on as normal.
Like Game Stop. The hype this year is the new PlayStation 5. Even though there was a line to get in the store, it wasn’t as long as in previous years.
“Usually, it would be a longer line without something new out and this is like this with a new console coming out. It’s very different, short than usual,” said one shopper.
Individual retailers are still optimistic about the day even though the mall itself remains quiet.
“I’ve just been trying to saturate Facebook and keep websites updated. I’m hoping for a pretty crazy day,” said Jon Barnhill, store manager of Shipwrecked in Charleston Town Center.
Shipwrecked is a locally owned store in West Virginia. Aside from Black Friday – people should remember ‘Small Business Saturday’. Especially now during the pandemic.
“Small businesses just rely on that everyday hype,” Barnhill said.
The National Retail Federation predicts 2020 holiday sales are expected to rise between 3.6% and 5.2%. And because of the pandemic warning to stay home as much as possible, they’re predicting a jump of 20% to 30% in online sales. Especially on Cyber Monday.
But, as long as shoppers follow the CDC guidelines, they’re encouraged to carry on the Black Friday tradition.
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