Lights go out on Black Friday

Posted: 11/23/12 at 7:20 am EST      Last Updated: 11/23/12 at 11:14 pm EST

PEABODY, Mass. (WHDH) -- The lights are finally out on Black Friday, as stores close after a 24-hour marathon.

“We left our house at 8 o'clock last night,” said a shopper. “We shopped until about one. Went home took a nap til three.”

Twenty-four hours later, a mother and daughter duo are still hitting the sales.

On the south shore, shoppers did the now-traditional Thanksgiving Day camp out, waiting for stores to open.

In Peabody, more shoppers flooded the North Shore mall for its earliest Black Friday opening ever.

“We had more requests from our retailers in particular that felt there was enough business out there to open earlier,” said North Shore Mall general manager, Mark Whiting.

Retailers are offering forty, fifty and sixty percent discounts, hoping their deals will hold up against comparison shoppers armed with smart phones.

“It's pretty crazy, the lines. We've had to put stuff down because the lines are too long,” said a shopper.

Late in the day, people streaming in still managed to score some pretty good deals.

“I got a sweater for fifty bucks off at Macy’s.”

“We went to the Gap. Found some deals. I’m happy.”

“I love it. I just love it, but I’m pooped, I’m tired.”

But with just 21 and a half hours to hit all those Black Friday sales, devoted shoppers kept going right up until closing.

“More shopping. More shopping. It's Christmas!”

The Massachusetts Retail Association is estimating that 10 to 20 percent of all holiday shopping was done on just this one day.

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