DALLAS — The words "Black Friday" have a reputation. What comes to mind are long lines starting on Thanksgiving Day, or people wrapped in thick coats and blankets sleeping on lawn chairs outside of stores.
But over the last decade, it's become an outdated reputation.
"Black Friday has changed a little bit over the years," said Holly Quartaro, Fashion and Lifestyle Director at Galleria Dallas.
Quartaro has seen the changes firsthand.
"For so many years, it was cutthroat, and get there in the middle of the night and you really go for it. And now, it's more about enjoying the season," said Quartaro. "The days of people sleeping outside of doors are over as far as we're concerned, which is a good thing."
According to Ashish Sedai, assistant professor of economics at the University of Texas at Arlington, it's because e-commerce continues to trend up.
While the phenomenon of online shopping started over a decade ago, things dramatically shifted in 2020.
"The pandemic has a role to play," said Sedai.
Online shopping has shortened lines that once wrapped around the stores overnight. But even though lines are shorter, Sedai said people are spending more during this holiday.
The National Retail Federation expects 182 million people to shop this long weekend. 130.7 million of them are potential shoppers on Black Friday both in-store and online.
These days, Sedai said, "Consumers like to go to physical stores, but they want to buy online."
On Black Friday, there will be good deals across the board, but it's a matter of how a person wants to make a purchase.
The tradition of shopping with loved ones the morning after Thanksgiving isn't going away.
"The value of going to physical stores with the family on a Black Friday weekend still remains. The cultural value of Black Friday still remains," said Sedai.
But now, Black Friday should be a less stressful and more enjoyable part of the holidays.