This year’s Black Friday is taking on a different look, with many shoppers turning away from the usual TVs and tablets and instead prioritizing groceries and household essentials.
“Groceries! Meat going down, maybe, would be a good one,” Andrew Tighe, a Phoenix resident, said.
With prices still high, families say they’re focused on stretching their budgets and buying what they truly need.
“I agree, essentials are better than gifts,” Shatrefa Wilson, in Phoenix, said. “It’s very important to me to be able to still afford to feed my family and get the essentials I need.”
“I think everybody’s in the same boat,” George Pasisis, of Scottsdale, said.
A new survey from The Krazy Coupon Lady, featuring more than 3,400 shoppers, also shows a major shift in spending priorities.
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“Tech has always been the Black Friday Holy Grail,” Kristin McGrath, The Krazy Coupon Lady editor, said. “Last year, tech was number one; it’s number three this year. Last year, food and essentials were number three. It’s number one this year. It is a complete flip.”
According to the survey, 17% of shoppers want deals on food, and another 17% want home goods — more than the 15% looking for tech deals.
With grocery costs nearly 30% higher than five years ago, according to the Consumer Price Index, almost half of shoppers in the survey reported they’re cutting back overall.
“Shoppers are in this mind frame of ‘I don’t have the budget and I need to dial it back,’” McGrath said.
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Retailers are responding, offering Black Friday discounts on basics and everyday items.
At Walmart, store manager Verrinia Kennedy says they’re offering deals on stocking stuffers and kid-friendly items.
“My children’s favorite: the Crayola bath bombs,” Kennedy said. “We have this Crest children’s toothpaste that is not only functional, but fun, color-changing.”
There are also price-friendly gifts for adults.
“We've got this lovely Italian food gift set, some beautiful Better Good products — not only tasty, but healthy,” Kennedy said.
McGrath says other major retailers are also focusing on essentials.
“We’ve seen Target offer BOGO deals on essentials,” she said. “Amazon tends to offer bulk deals on snacks and cleaning supplies along with their subscribe and save offers. We also see Kohl’s and JCPenney offering deals on home goods essentials.”
For mom of three Kimberly Sneed, building essentials into her holiday shopping list is intentional and practical.
“I always tend to supplement with things like clothing that they may need, socks, new toothbrushes, that stuff always ends up in their stockings or along with their gifts,” Sneed said. “You’re not going into the new year having to buy a bunch of new clothes, because they just got them all for Christmas.”
For many families, prioritizing essentials is a way to make the holidays festive and functional.
This story was reported on-air by Jane Caffrey at the Scripps News Group station in Phoenix, and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
