Die-hard shoppers camping out in advance of predawn store openings, anxiously awaiting deals on laptops and handbags, sweaters and shoes is a familiar day-after-Thanksgiving sight when consumers take part in the traditional Black Friday shopping rush. But it appeared that this year's kick-off to the holiday shopping season mellowed from past years with shorter checkout lines and fewer shoppers crowding around bargain bins. "When we got here this morning, at around 6, the stores were just dead," said Julie Tokotch of St. Petersburg, Fla. " Usually the lines are out the door and there are no carts left for shopping. But today the parking lot was pretty empty, nothing like last year." Although clutching Target and Wal-Mart shopping bags filled with gifts for the rest of her family, Tokotch said she approached the holiday shopping season with a tighter clutch on her wallet. The main reason for her cautious spending—gas prices. "The prices are just ridiculous," she said. "We had to cram into one car today, just to avoid getting gas. We've taken to carpooling and just cutting our spending altogether." In the past, the beginning of autumn, ushering in shorter days and cooler temperatures, would usually mean a fall in gasoline prices as the summer travel season comes to a close. But with the national average for regular gas at $3.08 a gallon this past week, that usual downward seasonal trend in prices has stalled. In the Gainesville metropolitan area, the average price motorists are paying is higher at $3.14 a gallon. This could mean more consumers, like Tokotch, will hold back on their holiday shopping lists this year, according to a University of Florida marketing professor at the Warrington College of Business Administration. "A large percentage of the population don't have the ability to expand their income to keep pace with what they're having to spend for gasoline each month, so they won't have excess income at the end of the month to spend." Richard Lutz said. "That means, with the holiday season approaching, retail sales will take a hit." With gas prices having increased about 30 to 40 percent from summer to Thanksgiving, Lutz said, the average American consumer will see their spending power diminishing and, thus, will see fewer gifts under the tree. The financial woes caused by gas prices will not only affect the individual consumer but retailers and the whole economy as well. "It may not affect you personally, it may not affect me personally, but it's going to affect a lot of people personally," he said. "When you combine all those people, it ends up in a decrease in sales, and, if people are really concerned, they'll pull back their spending even more." The drop in sales may not be short term as Lutz said he expects to see gas prices increase in the coming months.
"We should prepare to see a future where gas prices are going to be repeatedly high," he said. "Retailers will see the results of this pressure on consumer's spending habits, especially around the holiday season." Although the price tag for a full tank of gas has proven an inconvenience for many consumers like Tokotch, retailers at The Oaks Mall saw a promising turnout of people Friday for their door-buster deals. "It's been pretty crowded, bustling actually," said Zak White, assistant sales manager in the shoe department for Dillard's. "We've never had this many great sales, and I think people want to take advantage of that." Because gas prices have been high for a while now, White said he does not expect them to affect most people during the holiday season. Consumers still want to be able to give the "gift of giving" to their families, even if they are paying a hefty price tag for a full tank of gas, he said. "It's our culture these days that if you want something bad enough, you're going to get it, high gas prices or not," he said. "'Tis the season to do some shopping." | 
