HOUSTON – With COVID-19, retailers and customers are pushing more “Black Friday” deals online this year. While GameStop offered an in-store deal that many shoppers said they had to get.
Some people waited in line for over 24 hours for the new PlayStation 5 or XBOX Series X system. They said it was their only option because it was sold out online.
“People want to stay safe so I wouldn’t expect a lot of people to go out to the stores,” Armando Velasquez said.
Another shopper said: “It’s been a tough year, so I wanted to take a chance.”
“I’ve been trying since the November 12th launch when the consoles came out and it’s just been really hard,” Dominick Garcia said.
“It’s better in the store just go get it and pay cash for it that’s the way it should,” Sheila Sanders said.
GameStop is not the only retailer offering deals on Black Friday. KPRC 2 also spotted long lines outside of Melrose Family Fashions on South Gessner Road.
Many said shopping was a lot different than in previous years.
“It’s kind of like on edge like everything is on edge people are on edge,” Perez said.
Shopping experts say Black Friday is becoming Cyber November.
Many retail giants like Walmart, Target, Lowes and Amazon have changed their plans for more online shopping, but many shoppers we spoke to say the online process has not been easy.
“What I would see on social media is people using bots to get access to these consoles and people are ordering like 20-30 of these,” Johnny Perez said.
Here are the shopping recommendations from the CDC:
- Disinfect the shopping cart, use disinfecting wipes if available.
- Do not touch your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
- Stay at least 6 feet away from others while shopping and in lines.
- Use marked entry or exit points and follow any directional signs or floor markings designed to keep people at least 6 feet apart.
- Only touch products that you plan to purchase, if possible.
- Consider not consuming any sample or purchase food or drink items from self-service stations.
- If possible, use touchless payment (pay without touching money, a card, or a keypad). If you must handle money, a card, or use a keypad, use hand sanitizer right after paying.