Moviegoers pack theatres, as businesses prepare for Black Friday

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Moviegoers packed theatres on Thanksgiving, as box office analysts project Moana 2 will set a record for the holiday weekend.

The newly-released Disney film led the way Wednesday night after it became the most-watched trailer for a Disney movie all-time. Disney is the parent company of ABC 11.

At Brier Creek Raleigh, moviegoers checked out a number of different films, as steady traffic flowed in and out throughout the day.

“Usually, I spend it with family, but didn’t want to take the trek up to Maryland with the job,” said Matt Wyman.

“It’s Thanksgiving Day. It’s a perfect time to watch,” added Mahesh Ramarishne.

Many retailers have moved away from opening up Thursday night, though the overall holiday sales stretch remains crucially important.

“I’m thinking of going to the store to watch. You know, there’ll be a lot of people and it’s going to be fun,” said Ramarishne.

“I have a shopping spree to go on, you might say. My daughter needs a new computer and I’m looking at the Latitude 540 Series,” added Wyman.

According to Adobe, between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday, online sales are expected to top $30 billion. Over the holiday season, online sales are projected to increase over 8% compared to last year.

“We are expecting an uptick. We are increasing our Facebook and Instagram ads, we’re getting ourselves out there,” said Mike Budlow, a co-owner of Wear Your Dish.

The online clothing company features items with names of your favorite foods.

“We found something that makes us smile and that we want to share with other people,” said Budlow.

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Like other businesses, they’ve already started their Black Friday sale.

“We’ve worked with our partners and our manufacturers to make sure that we are stocked up so we have all the colors, all the prints, and make sure people can get it in advance of gift-giving season,” Budlow said.

The business, which was relaunched this year, is banking on consumers prioritizing unique gifts.

“People want to give a personal gift. When you get a gift that someone has thought of you, and thought about you in advance, it feels really good,” Budlow shared.

It’s also highlighting its charitable donations, donating a portion of profits to SNACC, a New York City-based non-profit that provides food education and culinary adventures in underserved communities.

“I think we’ve found ourselves in an era of corporate greed that is turning off a lot of consumers, especially in younger demographics. And I think people are looking for something that is not just good, and bringing them joy in terms of the product, but also makes them feel good in that they’re purchasing it,” Budlow said.

According to YouGov survey released in March, 45% of consumers said they were more likely to buy from a brand that says it will donate part of its sales to charity. Breaking it down further, that includes 53% of 18-to-24 year-olds and 50% of 25-to-34 year-olds.

Overall, Deloitte projects holiday retail sales to increase between 2.3% to 3.3% this year.

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“Avoid impulse buying. Set a budget separate from your household budget, a strict holiday budget list of the specific items and how much you’re willing to spend. And also, never underestimate the power or the flexibility or practicality of gift cards,” said Chip Lupo, an analyst with WalletHub.

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