Retailers advertising big Black Friday sales do not appear to be drawing quite the same crowds traditionally seen in past years as the coronavirus continues to affect the holiday season, including the busiest shopping day of the year.
While the hustle and bustle of the holiday season has not completely disappeared, it is demonstratively lower this year due to fears, protocols, and limitations caused by the Chinese coronavirus pandemic. Several photos and videos on social media show relatively mild crowds compared to recent years, as many retailers moved to offer their deals online.
“An entirely different look to Black Friday in the age of COVID-19,” KTAR Phoenix reporter Jim Cross said early Friday morning alongside a photo of an empty parking lot.
“Several places I checked out that usually have big crowds with long lines are quiet this morning,” he added:
An entirely different look to Black Friday in the age of COVID-19. Several places I checked out that usually have big crowds with long lines are quiet this morning.. pic.twitter.com/mdKeD31e1H
— Jim Cross (@Crossfire923) November 27, 2020
A very short line outside of Best Buy on Camelback near 16th Street in Phoenix on this Black Friday. Years past the line was hundreds of yards long. pic.twitter.com/MY5nGIOZUd
— Jim Cross (@Crossfire923) November 27, 2020
“I can count the shoppers on one hand at the Hollywood Fred Meyer in NE Portland this morning!” Portland’s KATU News’s Dan McCarthy said, providing a photo of a handful of people standing in line in the early hours of the morning:
Brace yourself for a #BlackFriday opening that's very on-brand for 2020.
No, this is not in slow motion 😂
But we got up to about 30 shoppers when the doors opened at 5AM for the Hollywood Fred Meyer in NE Portland! #LiveOnK2 pic.twitter.com/JlLtdK8Wbw— Dan McCarthy (@DanMcKATU) November 27, 2020
The San Francisco Chronicle’s Jessica Christian reported a lack of crowds at the Bay Area’s Great Mall:
Stores are open inside of the Great Mall for #BlackFriday, but the number of customers is being limited. Overall there aren’t any crowds and everyone’s wearing their face masks @sfchronicle pic.twitter.com/LsFuneDm2D
— Jessica Christian (@jachristian) November 27, 2020
Others offered similar reports:
There’s actually a line forming at Old Navy now. Still no where near what we normally see on Black Friday, but it’s picking up a tad. pic.twitter.com/JgQD4xHz8l
— Kristi O'Connor WBTV (@KristiOConnor_) November 27, 2020
Target opens at 7. Barricades are set up, but no line right now! Best Buy parking lot has a few dozen cars but nothing like we’ve seen in previous years. #BlackFriday @WGRZ pic.twitter.com/XWaoDeQ2Dz
— Heather Ly (@HeatherLyWGRZ) November 27, 2020
A bit of a line forming…but people are spaced out so it looks like more people. I’d say 30 to 40. Masks and social distancing in effect! Store opens at 7 a.m. @wgrz pic.twitter.com/HzyiIsR2WB
— Heather Ly (@HeatherLyWGRZ) November 27, 2020
Newport Centre, a major mall in a major metro area is a ghost town. I saw not a single shopper at sears (well…), very few at Kohl’s or JCP or clothing stores. Only semi busy store was Bath & Body Works. This feels more like an average Tuesday in April than #blackfriday2020 pic.twitter.com/jnhUS4fLsi
— Phil Wahba (@philwahba) November 27, 2020
Welcome to Black Friday 2020. Thin, metered crowds at Macy’s in Manhattan. 100 or so were waiting when store opened vs 15k last year. Other stores nearly empty. 3 ppl inside the Aeropostale in Manhattan Mall. JCP closed. Off to NJ now. pic.twitter.com/Oolva3B04X
— Phil Wahba (@philwahba) November 27, 2020
The Apple store at Westfield WTC also didn't need the ropes- maybe 10 ppl in all when I walked by 40 mins ago. https://t.co/K8Vm6nGTbU
— Phil Wahba (@philwahba) November 27, 2020
#BlackFriday Starting to see a line outside Best Buy in Greensboro. Folks are also taking advantage of their curbside pick up option. pic.twitter.com/tNMwCqxy5t
— Itinease McMiller (@IMcMillerNews) November 27, 2020
Black Friday 2020:
No long lines at big box stores in Dartmouth Crossing this morning.
(🎥: @CarlPomeroyCTV) pic.twitter.com/OJIYGwsZ3r
— Amanda Debison (@ADebisonCTV) November 27, 2020
Political figures have urged Americans to stay home and away from crowds, and in some cases loved ones, as the holiday season approaches.
Dr. Anthony Fauci recently told USA Today that he is looking forward to “Christmas in 2021” while warning Americans to “be careful” as the holidays continue to approach:
If the surge takes a turn of continuing to go up and you have the sustained greater than 100,000 infections a day and 1,300 deaths per day and the count keeps going up and up … I don’t see it being any different during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays than during Thanksgiving.
“Let’s now make the best of the situation and show our love and affection for people by keeping them safe,” he added.
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