BLACK FRIDAY KICKS HOLIDAY SHOPPING INTO HIGH GEAR

THE WILD DOORBUSTERS AREN'T THE ONLY DEALS IN TOWN ANYMORE. BETWEEN EARLY DISCOUNTS, ONLINE OFFERS, AND RETAILERS OPENING DOORS ON THANKSGIVING DAY OR NIGHT, CONSUMERS HAVE MORE OPTIONS THAN CAMPING OUT IN THE COLD. BUT BLACK FRIDAY STILL KICKS OFF A WEEKEND THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL TO RETAILERS AND THIS YEAR, THEY'RE OPTIMISTIC. Katherine Cullen / National Retail Federation: People are feeling good about the economy, unemployment is low, wages are strong, and that's translating into greater willingness to spend around events like the holiday season. UNEMPLOYMENT IS LOW. GAS PRICES ARE LOWER TOO. AND CONSUMER CONFIDENCE, STRONG. THE NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION ESTIMATES HOLIDAY SALES WILL INCREASE BETWEEN 4.3 TO 4.8-PERCENT OVER LAST YEAR, AND COULD REACH MORE THAN $720 BILLION. BLACK FRIDAY, WITH 116 MILLION SHOPPERS EXPECTED TODAY, WILL GIVE A LOT OF CLUES ABOUT HOW THEY'RE SHOPPING -- ONLINE, MOBILE, OR IN-STORE. WHERE THEY'RE SHOPPING -- DEPARTMENT STORE, BIG BOX OR DISCOUNTER. AND HOW MUCH THEY MIGHT SPEND BEYOND THIS WEEKEND.