Black Friday sales get underway at stores across the country

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The first Black Friday sales have got underway at some stores across the country on Thursday night
Department store J.C Penney was one of the first major chains to kick-off the sales offering huge discounts
Shoppers were seen rushing through the doors at J.C Penney stores across the country, including Tyler, Tx
Others were seen patiently waiting outside Best Buy shops - with some even camping out in small tents
Sales get underway at Macy's, Kmart, Target, Walmart and other stores in just a few hours time
Online shoppers charged out of the gate, spending more than $1.15billion between midnight and 5pm
Forecasters expect the total value of Thanksgiving Day purchases to be more than $2billion

Published: 18:23 EST, 24 November 2016 | Updated: 06:19 EST, 25 November 2016

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Shoppers eager to bag a bargain have begun their spending sprees as some stores across the U.S. kicked off their Black Friday sales on Thursday afternoon.

People were seen camped out in tents outside some Best Buy stores, including one in Utah where the temperatures plummeted to below-zero, while others raced through the doors at J.C Penney.

The department store kicked off its sales at 3pm on Thursday - hours before some people sat down around the table for Thanksgiving dinner.

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Packs of excited shoppers race through the doors at Macy's in Herald Square, Manhattan, to get an early start on Black Friday shopping

People are pictured lining up at the entrance of Macy's Herald Square ahead of early opening for Black Friday sales in Manhattan

Eager shoppers have got an early start to their Christmas shopping, as some stores across the U.S. kicked off their Black Friday sales on Thursday afternoon. Pictured are customers at J.C Penney in Tyler, Texas

Stephanie Rowell and her daughter Sydney, 5, arrived early at the Toys R Us shop in Kennesaw, Georgia on Thursday night

One of the first chains to open on Thursday was Macy's. Hundreds of people are seen crammed inside the Herald Square location in Manhattan shortly after Black Friday sales got underway on Thursday night

Shoppers and a police officer are seen walking past signage for Black Friday at a mall in Doral, Florida, on Thursday evening

Holiday shoppers leaves Walmart's Black Friday event in Bentonville, Arkansas, on Thursday

Walmart was one of the growing number of stores to start its Black Friday sales on Thursday night - just hours after many sat down for Thanksgiving dinner

More wild scenes are expected across the country late on Thursday night as thousands more brace the cold and get in line to pick up a bargain.

But long before people got through the doors in stores, more than one-billion had already been spent online.

A staggering $1.15billion was spent online between midnight on Thursday and 5pm, according to Adobe Digital Insights.

It was an increase of more than 13 per cent on what was spent during the same time frame in 2015, and Adobe said it expected the Thanksgiving Day total to surge past $2billion in the next few hours.

The forecasters expect almost $900million of the total figure to come from purchases made on mobile devices.

'We saw one of our strongest days ever online,' Target CEO Brian Cornell said, before he added the chain saw double-digit increase in online activity.

The National Retailers Foundation says online spending over the three-day bonanza will reach an eye-watering $8.4billion. The NRF's annual holiday shopping forecast expects $3.05billion on Black Friday and $3.36billion on Cyber Monday - which would mean it is the biggest shopping day of all time.

Other forecasters project overall holiday spending will rise by 3.6 percent - which would be a bigger jump that the average seen over the past seven years.

If spending does increase by the predicted amount, 690,000 new seasonal jobs will be created, according to the NRF.

It comes after it was revealed retailers have braced for a massive holiday rush this year.

The huge line of Black Friday shoppers is seen winding through a Walmart store in Bentonville, Arkansas, shortly after the sales got underway

A man looks at his phone, which featured the Walmart shopping app, as he stands inside one of the chain's stores during Black Friday sales

A customer loads his shopping cart during the Black Friday sales event on Thanksgiving Day at Target in Chicago, Illinois

Black Friday shoppers wait in line to get in and ask the sales staff product questions in Fairfax, Virginia on November 24

Bree Colley, 30, said she plans to go to Columbia Mall in Missouri on Friday with her mom in their yearly tradition. She and her husband were out after Thanksgiving dinner as well, driving from Harrisburg, Missouri, to pick up a 55-inch television a friend bought for them during a deal at Walmart.

Colley said the 55-inch television, which was about $200 cheaper than its original $500 price tag, was sold out online earlier Thursday. But a friend was first in line for the deal and bought one for her.

In addition to seeking bargains on TVs, items that drew crowds included cellphones and Hatchimals - eggs with a small, animated animal inside that hatch when given attention.

Many stores are offering the same deals as in previous years, like $19.99 boots that remain a big attraction, cashmere sweaters, and sheets.

Tanya Jordan planned to start shopping for herself Friday after buying for others Thursday night. She was looking for a big-screen TV at the Best Buy store in Howell Township, New Jersey. She also planned to browse the camera department, hoping to upgrade her current equipment if she could find the right deal.

She said: 'I buy a lot of stuff online, but when it comes to technology, I want to see and feel what I'm buying.'

Jackie Tate, a nurse from Manhattan, said that in the past she'd get up in the wee hours to shop the deals on Black Friday. At Macy's in New York on Thursday night, she said she will go shopping Friday but her enthusiasm has waned.

'I do most everything online now.'

This weekend is crucial to set the tone for the holiday season. Around 137 million people plan to or are considering doing their shopping during the Thanksgiving weekend, according to a survey conducted for the National Retail Federation. That includes online and store shopping. Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, vies with the Saturday before Christmas as the busiest shopping day of the year.

The NRF, the nation's largest retail group, expects holiday sales to rise 3.6 per cent for November and December, better than the 3 per cent growth seen for those months last year. That excludes car sales, gas and restaurant receipts but includes online spending and other non-store sales such as catalog spending.

hoppers take advantage of Black Friday door buster deals at Macy's Herald Square in Manhattan on Thursday night

Two shoppers are seen looking at toys cars inside the Toys R Us store in Fairfax, Virginia, on Thursday, November 24

A shopper carries two bags of items she bought during Black Friday sales at Macy's in Manhattan, New York, on Thursday night

Black Friday shoppers load a big screen TV into their car after purchasing it at the Best Buy in Fairfax, Virginia

Hundreds of people are pictured in line outside Kohl's on Thursday night before Black Friday sales get underway in West Bend, Wisconsin

A woman holds a series of shirts and looks at another inside Macy's in Manhattan, New York, just hours after Black Friday sales got underway

Early Black Friday shoppers stand in line as they wait for the door opens at 5pm at Toys R Us in Kennesaw, Georgia

A Black Friday shopper pushes a trolley with color printers and a Samsung TV on it inside a Best Buy in Fairfax, Virginia on Thursday night

WHAT ARE THE BEST BLACK FRIDAY DEALS?

Want to save time shopping around by heading to the store with the best Black Friday deals?

Look no further, as DailyMail.com has identified some of the great savings available.

Amazon

32-inch 720p LED TV - $70

32-inch 720p Smart TV - $125

Up to 60 per cent off toys from Disney, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, and Barbie

Best Buy

49-inch LED TV with built-in Chromecast - $200 (Reduced from $450)

Blu-ray movies - $7.99

Up to 60 per cent off video games

Sharp 55-inch 1080p LED Smart TV - $250 (Reduced from $500)

Dick’s Sporting Goods

Selected Nike and Under Armour clothes and gear - Reduced by 25 percent

Selected cardio machines - Reduced by 50 percent

Selected hoodies and fleeces - Reduced by 50 percent

Kmart

Christmas decorations - Reduced by 50 percent

Selected DVDs and movies - $1

Macy’s

Men's down coats - Reduced by 75 percent

Samsonite luggage - Reduced by 60 percent

Nine West handbags - Reduced by up to 70 percent

Target

50-inch Hisense 4K UHD TV - $250

iPad Air 2 - $274 (Reduced from $400)

Powerbeats 2 Wireless Earphones - $90 (Reduced from $200)

Walmart

Selected video games - $8

Samsung Chromebook 3 - $119

Selected DVD and Blu-ray movies - $2

Consumer confidence rose by 8.4 points from October to 85.2 in November - the biggest gain within a month since December 2011, according to the University of Michigan's final reading of consumer sentiment for November.

'The upsurge in favorable economic prospects is not surprising given Trump's populist policy views, and it was perhaps exaggerated by what most considered a surprising victory as well as by a widespread sense of relief that the election had finally ended,' Richard Curtin, University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers chief economist told Bloomberg.

With increased confidence in job security, wage growth and soaring markets, shoppers are planning to spend, spend, spend over the holidays.

They also estimate that holiday sales will grow 3.6 percent on last year - bringing a $630.05 billion boon to the economy.

Kelly Ingram reacts while receiving a Hatchimal, a top toy of the holiday season, while shopping at Walmart in Bentonville, Arkansas

Chris Jolly and his son Chris Jr. shopped for Black Friday deals in Bentonville, Arkansas, on Nov. 24

Customers shop just after the 3 pm Black Friday sale opening at the J.C Penney department store in Tyler, Texas

Donnell Allen, a sales associate at JC Penny, attempts to hand out coupon packets while being rushed by a crowd of Black Friday shoppers shortly after the doors opened at 3 pm

A woman looks at shoes during early opening for Black Friday sales at Macy's Herald Square in Manhattan, New York

Lolis Saucedo of Tyler makes a purchase at the jewelry counter during the 3 pm Black Friday sale opening at J.C Penney

WHEN IS BLACK FRIDAY 2016? WHAT TIME DO SALES START AT STORES ACROSS THE COUNTRY?

Best Buy: Sales begin at 5pm, Thursday, November 24

Dick’s Sporting Goods: Sales begin at 6pm, Thursday, November 24

Home Depot: Sales begin at 6am, Friday, November 25

J.C. Penney: Sales begin at 3pm, Thursday, November 24

Kmart: Sales begin at 7pm, Thursday, November 24

Macy's: Sales begin at 5pm, Thursday, November 24

Target: Sales begin at 6pm, Thursday, November 24

Toys R Us: Sales begin at 5pm, Thursday, November 24

Walmart: Sales begin at 6pm, Thursday, November 24

Shoppers look at store windows advertising Black Friday sales at Dolphins Mall in Doral, Florida, just hours before the sales get underway

A man looks at toys inside Toys R Us in Paramus, New Hersey, shortly after Black Friday sales got underway on Thursday night

'You will see a bump in spending this year because this election was so close, so highly contested, and so dramatic no matter which candidate you supported,' Marshal Cohen, retail analyst with NPD Group, told Business Insider.

The predictions are in line with results of a recent survey by ForeSee revealed most Americans are planning to spend the same or more during the holiday season than in the run up to the election.

While it could be expected that Trump supporters would be driving the spending frenzy on a wave of optimism after their candidate won, the survey reveals that 20 percent of Democrats plan to spend more in the coming weeks.

People shop for Black Friday deals in Montebello, California on November 24, 2016, as a sign advertising the event is seen in the window

Massive lines of customers wait to pay for their products inside a Walmart in Bentonville, Arkansas, on Thursday night

Walmart customers score deals while shopping during the retailer's Black Friday event on Thursday, Nov. 24, 2016, in Bentonville, AR

Shoppers go inside of the Toys R Us store during early Black Friday events on November 24, 2016 in Paramus, New Jersey

Shoppers lined up outside the Toys R Us in Paramus, New Jersey, before the chain kicked off its sales on Thursday night

A woman carries two items as she walks past a Barbie display at a Toys R Us in New Jersey on Thursday night

People are seen walking into a Target store in Keene, New Hampshire, just moments after the Black Friday sales got underway on Thursday night

Macy's Inc. CEO Terry Lundgren watches as people enter Macy's Herald Square for early opening of the Black Friday sales in Manhattan

An attendant is seen carrying boxes of shoes for customers at Macy's during the first hours of the Black Friday sales on Thursday

Two women are seen looking at different toys, while another reaches to get something down from a shelf inside a New Jersey Toys R Us on Thursday night

A store worker helps customers buy their items on the opening night of Black Friday sales in Toys R Us on Thursday night in New Jersey

A Fairfax County Police Officer keeps an eye on Black Friday shoppers waiting in line in Fairfax, Virginia on November 24

Lourdes Landa, 32, left, takes a photo of Luna the dog, center, as Ivan Marcano, 27, and his girlfriend, Barbara Moreno, 27, right, try on a dress for their pet at Dolphins Mall, in Doral, Florida, just before Black Friday sales start

A shopper pushes a trolley with a large driveable toy car inside it through the doors at Toys R Us in Paramus, New Jersey

Rene Anguiano (left) and Lucas McQueen (right) start camping outside the Best Buy store first in line in Mesquite, Texas, on November 23, 2016

Shoppers buy gifts at the Toys R Us store during early Black Friday events on November 24 in Paramus, New Jersey

Sarah Gregg lays a blanket out with several other people, that camped out over night in tents, and subfreezing temperatures to be first in line for Black Friday sales outside Best Buy on November 24, 2016 in Orem, Utah

Chris Krzeminski, walks by tents of several other people, who camped out so they could be the first in line at a Best Buy in Utah

Workers inside the Toys R Us store in Paramus, New Jersey, gather for a final meeting before doors opened for Black Friday sales on Thursday

That is double the percentage of Republicans who plan to up their spending.

Cohen added: 'Half the country is going to be happy, so they are going to go out and spend, and half is going to be very distraught and disturbed - and one way to get out of that slump is to distract themselves by going to stores.'

With so much air time dedicated to the election over the past year, retailers will also get the chance to air their holiday advertising.

Meanwhile, shoppers who had been holding back over concerns about what the results could mean to the economy have been pleasantly surprised.

Happy shoppers are packed on an escalator inside Macy's in Manhattan, New York. The department store started its Black Friday sale on Thursday night

The store manager (middle) at a Best Buy gives his sales team a pep talk moments before opening the doors to Black Friday shoppers in Fairfax, Virginia

An employee at a Best Buy wheels out a new big screen television a Black Friday shopper purchased in Fairfax, Virginia

A shopper with his young son in his arms pushes a pram through a Toys R Us store in Paramus, New Jersey, on Thursday night

People look at a rack of handbags during early Black Friday sales at Macy's Herald Square in Manhattan

Carol Olsen tries on shoes as her husband Dave Olsen waits during early opening for Black Friday sales at Macy's Herald Square in Manhattan, New York

A man sleeps on a chair as people pass by in Macy's Herald Square for early opening of the Black Friday sales in New York on Thursday

People are seen sat outside their tents and looking at phones and tablets while waiting in line to get into Best Buy for Black Friday sales

The consumer expectations index of the survey rose by 8.4 points from October to 85.2 - the biggest gain within a month since December 2011, according to he University of Michigan's final reading of consumer sentiment for November

Big department stores, such as Macy's and Khol's are expecting a strong holiday spending period.

'Things that are distracting like the election, once there's an outcome, certainty is a good thing,' Kohl CEO, Kevin Mansell said. 'So from a positive perspective, having certainty on that is probably a good thing looking into the holiday.'

Marvin Ellison, J.C. Penney Co. Chief Executive Officer said in an interview this month: 'We've had some, we believe, pent up demand - just based on the economics of our consumer.'