NEW YORK, Nov. 23 (UPI) -- Black Friday may not be confined to Friday anymore, as some U.S. retailers said sales would begin before Thanksgiving to make up for a slow economy.
"Retailers understand that consumers are reconfiguring their balance sheets. We know they're not spending as much or as frequently," James Russo of Nielsen Marketing told The Detroit News.
Kmart and Wal-Mart are already pushing Black Friday sales, which traditionally occur the day after Thanksgiving -- called Black Friday as it is said to be the day stores move into the black for the year.
It is still expected to be a slow year. The National Retail Federation said the average shopper will spend $507.90 on the holidays, down from $534.79 a year ago.
"Despite some of the prevailing thinking that the economy is turning around, there are still major headwinds facing the consumer," Russo said.
One market analyst urged shoppers to make quicker decisions this year, as stores, burnt with too much inventory a year ago, are cutting back.
"If you see it, you should buy it, because there's a good chance it will be gone," said Darla Bowen, marketing director at Fairlane Town Center, a Michigan firm.
