In Miami Gardens, Black Friday shopping began early as eager shoppers lined up for hours to get big discounts on electronics and appliances. William Borris, who arrived at BrandsMart USA around 3 a.m. on Thanksgiving, waited over 13 hours before the doors opened. "Yes, number one! Number one!" he cheered as he entered, quickly filling his cart with items like scooters and an espresso maker to gift his family for the holidays, as reported by 7News.
Charles Pierre and his wife were among those who misjudged the opening hours of BrandsMart USA, Pierre had arrived at 10 a.m. under the impression the store would open earlier and despite the misunderstanding, he made it clear that food and the commitment to finding a good deal on phones kept him queued, "I just came straight here, but when I get home, I'm going to eat," Pierre told NBC6 the quest for bargains also drew in shoppers from overseas, with one Bahamian visitor, Theresa Nicholas, flying in specifically for the event grabbing a TV and a printer at extraordinarily low prices. The fervor for the annual shopping event proves fortuitous for both consumers and retailers, as Adobe Analytics maintains, Black Friday is attributed as the period offering "the deepest discounts" throughout the year.
William Perez, too, adopted the early bird principle, presenting himself at the doors of BrandSmart USA at 5 a.m., without a precise shopping list but to buy "a couple of things for my granddaughter [and] grandson," he shared with CBS News Miami. In contrast, another shopper, Annmarie Destines, had her heart set on a blender priced around $50, which she managed to secure. Meanwhile, the allure of price cuts on electronics drew in Neil Roker, for whom this Black Friday was a first, expressing intrigue at the prospect of gaining "some first-time experience."
Despite the chaotic scenes typically associated with Black Friday, the event this year appeared orderly and safe, with shopper Jeremiah Reddick noting the contrast to previous years when rushed entrances often led to dangerous situations, "Back in the days when people use to get trampled and rush try to beat each other in the store. But it wasn't like that. This year it was great," Reddick told CBS News Miami. The National Retail Federation expected 183.4 million people to shop during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, marking an increase from the previous year.
