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Business & Tech

Shoppers Brave Rain for Best Buys on Black Friday

Consumers flock to stores early to get great deals on busiest shopping day of the year.

Having seen our loved ones, enjoyed the turkey and watched the football games on TV, Thanksgiving is over for another year. Now the time has come for the most loved of all shopping days of the year: Black Friday.

The Consumer Federation of America's annual holiday survey found that 10 percent of participants said they would increase their holiday spending this year. The U.S. Commerce Department says that spending is already up, with purchases increasing by 0.4 percent in October.

Eager shoppers lined up outside their favorite stores, some getting on line right after clearing their plate last night.

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The Best Buy off Old Country Road in Westbury was particularly busy early this morning, stretching around the rear of the store by 4 a.m. Many customers had flat screens, GPS's, netbooks and phones in mind as they waited for hours in the rain. Surprisingly, the weather didn't seem to deter many from the advertised deals.

Store employees did a great job keeping order and maintaining a safe shopping environment as they let small groups of people walk, not run into the store. Consumers quickly made their way to the DVD, computer, and phone sections, which appeared to be the most popular bargain areas. For some, holiday shopping is now already complete.

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