Online > in line: U.S. retail sales drop during Black Friday weekend

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Turkey-laden Americans would rather buy online than wait in line, and they're spending less.

U.S. retailers have begun the all-important holiday shopping season with a lump of coal, as Americans turned to online shopping instead of braving the crowds in the weekend after Thanksgiving. Sales fell 11.3% to $50.9 billion compared to 2013, according to a survey from the National Retail Federation (NRF), with average spent per person down 6.4%.

See also: 20 lazy people who won't get out of bed for Black Friday

Shopping at brick-and-mortar stores from Thanksgiving Day on Thursday through Sunday declined 5.2% from last year, as more bargain hunters reached for an extra slice of pie and their mobile phones rather than the car keys. Online sales rose 14.3% from 2013, with smartphone use outpacing personal computers for the first time, according to IBM. Read more...

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