Goodbye Black Friday, hello Black Thursday. Many stores opening their doors on Thanksgiving, despite some opposition to having employees work on the holiday.
Jon Ford and his mom and dad were the first in line at the Best Buy in Moline.
“Since 2 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, but my dad got here at 5 a.m,” said Ford.
"Everybody loves saving money, why not? And it's one of the few times I get to hang out with my dad considering he works overseas and sets his vacation to come here at this time and you know we've done it for five years, why break tradition?” he added.
"I'd like to get a couple of the Kindle Fires for my grandchildren,” said Glenda Allen.
Allen is a Black Friday veteran. For her, waiting in the long, cold lines is less about a good deal and more about fun.
“I like the socialization, I talk to people and I just do it for the fun,” said Allen.
The National Retail Federation estimates 33 million people will shop on Thanksgiving. This year is the first year stores were open for shopping this early. In Moline, Best Buy and Walmart started deals at 6 p.m. Thursday and Target opened its doors at 8 p.m.
"I do feel some misgivings about that,” said Ford.
"I don't really like that, I think that really cuts into people’s holiday, but here I am, so I guess I'm adding fuel to the fire so to speak,” said Allen.
In total this weekend, the National Retail Federation estimates 140 million people will shop. That is down from the 147 million who shopped at the same time last year.