While the run-up to Black Friday had a variety of analysts weary about the state of the U.S. economy and its impact on consumers during the holiday shopping season, retailers of all kinds are downright cheery with strong Thanksgiving weekend sales and the kick-off of the season, the National Retail Federation reports.
According the NRF, more than 147 million shoppers opened up their wallets over the long weekend, a five percent jump over 2006. While the boost in shoppers was met with a welcome sigh of relief from consumer electronics retailers, the average spent by consumers dropped about 3.5 percent from last year -- down to an average $347 per shopper.
NRF's analysis shows that more than 1/3 of shoppers (36 percent) spent their Black Friday weekend seeking consumer electronics. Similarly, 42 percent of shoppers the federation surveyed said they spent money on CE-related content including CDs, DVDs, books, videos or video games.
The NRF said this morning that it forecasts more than $474.5 billion in holiday spending this year at U.S. retailers. For more information, click here.












