It’s also interesting to note, that much of this spending was cash spending. Consumers are becoming smarter and more aware of credit card rates and issues, and staying away from spending in that manner.

It was fun and interesting for people like me in the advertising and marketing industry to watch retailer’s campaigns for the holidays. Many retail locations, opened earlier than every before. Wal-Mart, for example, opened at 10:00pm on Thanksgiving night to accommodate shoppers and try to steal market share out of the gate. Target did the same. Sears was noted to have begun promoting holiday savings as early as Labor Day weekend this year.

Most major retailers posted a 3.1% increase over last year’s Black Friday weekend numbers. Then, an organization like Nordstrom presents an interesting case. As most retailers started their promotions earlier this year to grasp consumer attention immediately, Nordstrom sat back with their continual focus to say that they focus on each holiday season independently, and that consumers would not see any holiday focused efforts internally from them, until Black Friday. They didn’t promote early. They did the same thing that they have always done. They opened their doors at the same time as they always have for Black Friday, and still managed to post a 5.6% increase over last year’s sales. It is one of the largest gains for major retailers.

It’s not to say that Wal-Mart’s ad focus was better or worse than Nordstrom’s; just different. Let’s be honest, are they ever after the same consumers? Either way, retail spending this holiday season could post security for the US economy this year, as consumer spending typically accounts for 70% of US economic activity.

What this year’s Black Friday spending shows us is the economic problem we face, as a majority, are not immediate issues to US consumers…they have money. They have learned to live new lifestyles within their means. The problem lies within government spending and tax issues. Hopefully, this shows Congress that by getting their acts together, as American consumers have, will bring our economy back to a sustainable position, and allow us to avoid further economic recessions.