Black Friday sales fall flat

When Newsday visited Pricesmart, Invaders Bay, and walked the streets of Port of Spain for the most anticipated sale of the year – Black Friday – there were significantly fewer people shopping in stores than in previous years.

Pricesmart, which is usually packed with people forming lines inside and outside the store for Black Friday, had fewer people and shorter lines this year. Sales representatives there said their sale began earlier this week, which could have been why fewer people were shopping at the store on Black Friday itself

Mattresses and television sets were the most popular items in customers' shopping carts .

A video of a large crowd waiting outside a branch of Courts circulated on social media, with over 50,000 views. It was said they had been waiting outside since 4 am.

Newsday confirmed with Courts marketing department that the viral video was actually taken in Guyana.

Business at the stores along Frederick Street, Port of Spain, appeared to be about the same as usual, with no crowds in evidence.