The search for big savings got some out of bed early on Black Friday, as experts anticipate Americans will spend a record amount of money ahead of the holidays.
The National Retail Federation expects two million more people to shop this year from Thanksgiving Day to Cyber Monday compared to last year. Sales on Black Friday are expected to jump 20 percent.
In terms of total holiday spending, the National Retail Federation anticipates retail sales will jump 10 percent to a record $859 billion.
Those estimates are despite indicators showing deals won't be as good as in previous years. Many retailers released their sales ahead of Thanksgiving weekend.
That didn't stop shoppers like Macayla Barnhart from stopping at Target in Cranberry Township Friday morning.
She left with a cart full of items she bought at a discount, adding it likely saved her hundreds of dollars.
"I like the environment," she said of her annual Black Friday excursion. "I know it's kind of crazy, but I kind of do good in crazy, chaotic mess. The deals, they honestly are good. We get up really early and just have a good time."
Barnhart said she did notice a smaller crowd than in pre-pandemic years. The National Retail Federation says 158.3 million people are planning to shop over Thanksgiving weekend. That's up slightly from the 156.5 million who shopped last year, but down from the 165.3 who shopped in 2019.
Amanda Parsons from Conway also noticed a slower hustle and bustle.
"Definitely a lot less than it's been in past years pre-COVID," she said. "A lot of it was online this year."
Online and other non-store sales are expected to increase between 11 and 15 percent this holiday season, with consumers expected to spend a record $220 billion without leaving home.