Black Friday is said to be the start of the holiday shopping season. In Vernon’s Village Green mall, it brought out big crowds.
“It is very busy today,” said Charleen Powell of Calendar Club, “and it hasn’t slowed down.”
Shoppers were enticed by sales and plenty of them. A quilt store was offering 25 per cent off all of its merchandise. And across the way at a clothing outlet, it was 40 per cent off the entire store. At a nearby London Drugs store, there were more bargains.
WATCH BELOW: shoppers lined up and banged on doors, eager to get their hands on Black Friday deals.
“We have a lot of items that are up to 50, 60 per cent off their regular retail price,” said Cory Muir of London Drugs.
Those price drops brought in a lot of shoppers.
“We would see about three times the amount of people and transactions in the store on Black Friday,” said Muir.
WATCH BELOW: Black Friday is one of the biggest shopping days of the year, but how does the U.S. and Canada compare?
At the Okanaga’s largest shopping mall, Orchard Park in Kelowna, it was crazy busy, with many shoppers reporting big sales.
“I wanted a deal,” said one shopper. “That’s why I came out and I am glad I got what I needed and got out cause it’s crazy.”
At the Visions Electronics store, Black Friday has become bigger and busier than even Boxing Day.
“That switch happened a couple of years ago, where it first surpassed Boxing Day and now it’s getting bigger each year,” said Visions store manager Drew Mervin. “So I think it makes sense to have the savings before Christmas, of course.”
WATCH BELOW: a recent study done by the Retail Council of Canada has found Black Friday is more popular than Boxing Day with Canadian consumers.
Not everyone, though, embraces the shopping frenzy.
“It’s just a way to get people into the stores and spend more money, so I am not particularly a big fan,” said one shopper.
Others, however, are happy to get a deal.
“I’m a fan anytime I save money,” said another shopper. “I’m retired.”