Black Friday shoppers flocked to stores hoping to get more bags for their money as they grapple with inflation, tariffs and worries about the health of the economy.
Citadel Outlets in the City of Commerce was surrounded by crowds Friday morning, with long waits for parking and snaking in lines outside stores as consumers scrambled to score deals. Camila Romero and her 13-year-old daughter stood in line for hours trying to get the best deals on Ugg and Coach items from their wish lists.
“You come to the Citadel because it's an outlet store. And on top of that, it's a discount store,” she said. “So even when you’re broke, you don’t feel it.”
Data shows that shoppers in the Los Angeles area plan to spend less this holiday season. Although retailers tease their biggest deals and prepare for what they hope will be robust demand, a Deloitte study found that Los Angeles consumers plan to spend 14% less during the holidays compared to last year.
Nationally, shoppers are expected to spend 10% less than last year.
Consumers are cutting back on spending in response to economic uncertainty and rising prices, said Rebecca Laurie, a Deloitte partner with experience in retail and e-commerce.
“There is at least a sense of higher prices and higher cost of goods,” Laurie said. “This is a concern for all consumers and is one of the reasons why they tighten their wallets A little.”
The survey found that 62% of buyers in the Los Angeles area expect the economy to weaken in the coming year, up from 34% in 2024. About the same percentage of respondents said they were concerned about a potential recession in the next six months.
The data showed that across income groups, consumers are making cost-cutting trade-offs and paying more attention to finding the best deal. More than half of respondents in Los Angeles said they would switch brands if their first choice was too expensive.
“The people most likely to trade down will be those with low or moderate incomes,” said Collin Colburn, vice president of commerce and retail media at the Interactive Advertising Bureau. “Everyone is actually trading down this year.”
Shoppers walk through Citadel Outlets on November 28, 2025 in Commerce City.
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
Camryn Smith and her daughter showed up to hunt down deals at the Americana restaurant at Brand in Glendale early Friday morning. According to her, discounts help partially offset the effect of inflation.
“The prices are higher and they're just bringing them down to normal levels,” Smith said. “This is crazy.”
Consumers are tired of constant inflation and instability caused by the Trump administration. A Deloitte study found that more shoppers are returning gifts or considering giving homemade gifts.
“We're in a situation where prices continue to rise for a variety of reasons, one being inflation and another being tariffs,” Colburn said. “I think when that happens year after year, it really sticks with the consumer.”
This means more shoppers are looking for ways to save on purchases and gifts they can't put off.
The National Retail Federation predicts that record number Americans will be shopping over Thanksgiving weekend. Retail sales in November and December are expected to grow by 3.7-4.2% compared with last year, the federation said.
Cautious consumers are more eager than ever to find bargains, says Mark Matthews, chief economist at NRF.
“People are changing the way they spend,” he said. “They are more focused on making their dollar grow and getting value out of it.”
Even shoppers spending more than usual may be doing so out of anxiety, economists say. Consumers who expect inflation sometimes spend money now for fear that prices will rise later.
A Brooklyn farmer braved the crowds at The Citadel to shop and try to save money amid inflation.
“People are going through hardships right now, but the holidays are still important to them,” he said. “The thought is that if there are discounts like this, I might as well go while I can instead of spending more later.”
Of those surveyed by Deloitte in Los Angeles, 43% said they planned to spend the majority of their holiday budget at major retailers, and 32% said they would spend the most at digital-first retailers.
Shoppers are using new tools to help them find products and deals, including artificial intelligence. Data compiled by the Interactive Advertising Bureau showed that AI is now the second most influential source of purchases, ahead of retailer websites and apps and second only to search engines.
Nearly 90% of shoppers nationwide said AI helps them find products they otherwise wouldn't have found, according to the bureau.
Mattel based in El Segundo toy company, is offering up to 50% off at Target on Hot Wheels, Barbie dolls and Disney princess toys, company spokeswoman Kelly Powers said.
“Mattel is working closely with retailers across the country on Black Friday deals,” Powers said.
In May, Mattel said it was considering raising prices to offset the impact of President Trump's tariffs on China.
However, the company said in its October earnings report that the full effect of the tariffs would not be seen until the fourth quarter.
Discount retailers, which rely heavily on foot traffic, are sending mixed signals about their business.
Walmart recently raised its sales forecast for this year after reporting a 6% year-over-year increase in revenue in the third quarter.
Target, by contrast, missed analysts' expectations and reported a 1.5% decline in sales in the third quarter. During a call with analysts this month, Target CEO Brian Cornell said the company was “not living up to its potential.”
Of course, for many shoppers on Friday, going to the local mall in search of cash was about more than just saving money.
Erica Pentasuglia brought her daughter to the Americana store in Brand around 3 a.m. to be first in line at a pop-up store selling Billie Eilish perfume. She felt it was important for her to convey the tradition of Black Friday shopping.
“I feel like he’s dying a little bit,” Pentasuglia said. “The best thing is that you don’t lose the tradition, it continues to be passed on to your children.”
