Eager bargain hunters formed long lines outside stores in Houston, Texas.
“We do this every year. It’s a holiday tradition. We’re getting the kids presents. We’re getting family presents. We’re getting presents that most people couldn’t afford unless they were two, four, $600 off, so yeah it’s a good feeling,” shopper Sherrel Pratt said.
The shopping day is also drawing criticism from ecological NGOs such as Greenpeace, which say that Black Friday’s over-consumption leads to waste and ecological disaster.
Black Friday is expected to be the biggest shopping day of the year. Sales are expected to hit $23 billion on Friday.