ORLANDO, Fla. – While many Central Florida residents spent Thanksgiving at home, a steady stream of early-bird shoppers fanned out to local stores in search of holiday bargains.
Not much was open, but one store in particular was packed, Orlando’s newly opened H Mart.
It is the busiest shopping season of the year, and some consumers decided to get an early start on gift buying despite complaints about rising prices and other economic pressures.
“It’s packed with people,” one shopper observed as crowds filled H Mart on West Colonial. From skincare and toys to groceries, the store saw a steady stream of traffic.
[WATCH: Florida’s first H Mart opens in Orlando]
Darlene Hightoff, who said she was buying a small toy for her granddaughter, acknowledged that money does not stretch as far as it used to.
“It’s just a little toy that I bought for her, to hang on her backpack when she goes to school. You know, $10, what are you going to do?” Hightoff said.
Other shoppers expressed similar concerns about inflation and rising costs. “Things are definitely inflated this year, so we will scale it back a little bit,” one customer said, while another noted, “I have been seeing the prices on a lot of electronics have spiked lately.”
Despite those worries, industry data point to a robust outlook for the upcoming holiday period. The National Retail Federation (NRF) projects a record 186.9 million people will shop from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday this year — an increase of more than 3 million shoppers from last year’s 183.4 million.
Retailers, buoyed by that projected demand, are entering the 2025 holiday season with cautious optimism even as they contend with inflationary pressures and tariff-related costs that can affect consumer prices.
Those factors have left shoppers paying more for some items, and consumer advocates say the coming months could see volatility in pricing and promotional strategies. Analysts caution that the season may be unpredictable, meaning shoppers who delay purchases could find deeper discounts later in the year.
Hightoff said she plans to continue shopping for family gifts despite higher prices. ” It’s amazing how much higher price are, but you know, we do what we have to do,” she said.
As retailers finalize inventory and promotional plans, both merchants and consumers will be watching closely to see how demand, supply, and pricing dynamics unfold through the holiday selling season.
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