Los Angeles - The death toll after one of America's biggest
shopping days was three after bargain-hunting shoppers crowded malls,
superstores and high streets to cash in on steep discounts by
recession-hit retailers.
The day after the Thanksgiving holiday usually marks the start of
the most intense period of the holiday shopping season. It is known
as Black Friday because historically shops put their profits in the
black thanks to the huge influx of customers.
The dead included a Wal-Mart employee in New York and two shoppers
at a Toys R Us store in California.
At the Toys R Us store in Palm Desert, California, some 200
kilometres southeast of Lost Angeles, an argument between rival
shoppers escalated into the shooting that left two dead, police
said.
In a statement, Toys R Us stressed that the shooting appeared to
stem from a 'personal dispute,' adding it would be 'inaccurate to
associate the events of today with Black Friday.'
At Wal-Mart, the largest US retailer, crowds were so large at one
New York area store that an employee died after being knocked down by
hundreds of shoppers hunting for bargains as the doors opened at 5
am, the New York Daily News reported.
The 34-year-old overnight stock clerk, who was attempting to hold
back the wave of shoppers, fell and witnesses said shoppers walked
over and around him as he gasped for air.
'They took the doors off the hinges. He was trampled and killed in
front of me. They took me down too ... I literally had to fight
people off my back,' the newspaper quoted co-worker Jimmy Overby, 43,
as saying.
The unidentified employee apparently suffered a heart attack and
was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police
said. The exact cause of death would be determined after an autopsy.
Four others were injured, including a 28-year-old pregnant woman,
WABC TV reported. The woman was also taken to hospital, where doctors
said her baby was fine.
Elsewhere most retailers were bracing for their worst season in
years. Adding to the gloomy prognosis was the fact that there are few
must-have gadgets or gifts this season.
Hoping to lure in penny-pinching customers, many retailers opened
their stores at midnight after heavy advertising of special
discounts.
In Los Angeles hundreds of shoppers lined the pavements
outside the Citadel Outlets in Century City to be sure to get the so-
called 'door-buster deal' on a wide range of merchandise. Outlet
stores are expected to perform well this season. The large shops are
run directly by manufacturers and typically offer steep discounts
over regular retail prices.
In Silicon Valley and elsewhere, tech gadgets appeared to be the
most popular items. Flat screen televisions have been seeing a sharp
price drop anyway thanks to a drop in component prices.
But retailers slashed prices even further to lure in shoppers at
chains like Best Buy and Fry's Electronics where 50 inch Panasonic
Plasma TV's were selling for under 900 dollars.
'We may be in a recession,' said shopper Tony Valda, who waited
all night to snag the TV bargain. 'But no-one can resist a deal like
this.'
Laptop computers were also popular with many stores offering cuts
of 40 and more over regular price levels.
Despite the economic downturn, overall sales this season are
expected to grow 2.2 per cent to 470.4 billion dollars, according to
the National Retail Federation. According to a Gallup poll,
individuals may spend an average of 616 dollars on holiday gifts this
year, down 29 per cent from a year earlier.
CNN reported that across the country the day had started well, but
that analysts feared that the crowds could soon dissipate after
snapping up the doorbuster sales.
'[Shoppers] know exactly what they want, where to shop for it and
who has the best deals,' said Britt Beemer, retail analyst and
chairman of America's Research Group. 'I talked to a number of people
standing in line in stores today. All had lists. And the lists had no
more than three items,' he said. The real question is whether they'll
be anyone left [in stores] by midday.'
USA
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