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Deals or Disappointment? A Mixed Bag for Local Shoppers This Black Friday

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Local shoppers were back in action this Black Friday, despite worries of supply chain issues, inflation and Covid. Tens of thousands of shoppers went hunting for deals today at Arden Fair. Mall officials say they're expecting to beat their numbers from 2019, which saw more than 97,000 visitors in one day. Last year, only 34,700 shoppers showed up for Black Friday.

Sanjay Varshney, Professor of Finance at Sacramento State, tells CBS13, "…the consumer is alive and wants to go out and shop." He cautions bargain hunters that they may not experience the big sales they've seen in the past. "So many retailers don't have to offer the same deals that they were offering a few years ago," he says, adding, "I expect fewer deals this year."

Most shoppers who spoke with CBS13 say they had no trouble finding the items on their list this year. For Percy Corral, though, the sales weren't incentive enough to walk away with bags full of gifts. Corral left the Apple store empty handed after looking at Apple Watches with his daughter. He tells CBS13 it wasn't an inventory issue, but rather, "There was a lot of people in there, so I didn't want to wait." Instead of making an in-store purchase, Corral says, "I think we're going to order online."

Shopping isn't the only spree seeing an uptick at stores this holiday season. Police and retailers are boosting security due to a recent rise in smash and grabs in the Bay Area and Southern California.

Roseville Police say they're alarmed at the trend, but taking action to stop crime before it happens. Rob Baquera, a spokesperson for the Roseville Police Department, says they're "adding extra officers on the streets in marked vehicles, doing patrols around our big retail centers and out small mom and pop centers including undercover officers."

Nathan Spradlin with Arden Fair says they are "in constant communication with the Sacramento Police Department and other local laws enforcement agencies. Along with law enforcement, community groups will be onsite at Arden Fair daily during the holidays to promote a positive environment for all guests of the center."

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