Deals and decisions

Shoppers from all income levels were out in force at Newport-Mesa malls and stores Friday. They were scouting around for post-Thanksgiving Day bargains on clothes and electronics on Black Friday, the start of the holiday shopping season.

Black Friday 2009 promised to attract more shoppers to South Coast Plaza, as the upscale shopping center recorded a 6% increase in sales by early afternoon, compared with last year. But while many were out shopping, others, who are still struggling with the economic downturn, were shopping more conservatively or cutting out spending wherever they could.

At South Coast Plaza, there was little room for parking as well as walking, as customers from all over Orange County and visitors from other countries raced to the stores to buy gifts for family and friends.

At least one local politician was among the crowd of shoppers. For Costa Mesa Councilwoman Katrina Foley, shopping on Black Friday is a tradition. She and mother-in-law Mary Swanson shop at South Coast Plaza every year. Friday marked their ninth Black Friday together. By the early afternoon, Swanson was almost done buying Christmas gifts for her grandchildren.

But there were also newcomers to Black Friday, such as Bari Burns. The 52-year-old Laguna Beach resident usually shops online, but this year she decided to spend the day out shopping with her granddaughter Lauryn. Even though Burns loves to shop, this year she’s keeping to a tight and cautious shopping budget.

“We’re trying to make the dollar go farther this year,” she said.

Because her family is in the construction business, the economy has had a negative impact on their pocketbook, she explained. As a result, she’s learned to look for the better deals in the stores and online.

Burns took her granddaughter to her favorite store at South Coast Plaza, Puzzle Zoo. Lauryn picked out a game for herself, while Burns also picked out gifts for the rest of her grandchildren.

Although she found other items she’d like to buy, Burns said she will first go home and match the prices online before buying. If the stores had the better deal, she said, she plans to return.

The crowd included a family from New Zealand, which was visiting the U.S. on as tourists, and found themselves at South Coast Plaza without knowing that it was the busiest shopping day of the year.

One of the Kiwis, Del Donovan, found a good deal at Zara and bought four jackets for herself. Donovan took a break from shopping and sat to watch people laden with shopping bags come and go. But she wasn’t done yet. Donovan, her husband, and her three kids planned on continuing to explore the shopping center’s deals Friday.

Debra Gunn Downing, executive director of marketing at South Coast Plaza, said that by early afternoon, sales were 6% higher than last year.

“Customers are in a very good mood, ready to buy and we are anticipating a very good holiday season,” she said. “We are very pleased with that.”

Although stores are offering fewer discounts this year, customers want value, Downing said. The stores are providing that by offering customers a variety of incentives, such as a gift with purchases, and free shipping and wrapping, she said.

In the early afternoon, Fashion Island was hardly as busy as South Coast Plaza, but there were customers looking for the best deals. Neiman Marcus had an early bird special where customers who spent a $100 got a $50 gift card until noon.

Laura Davis, Fashion Island’s senior director of marketing, said retailers at her center are cautiously optimistic.

However, she said, “We expect holiday sales to be in line with the National Retail Federation forecast, -1% to +1%, compared to last year’s holiday sales.”

Christina Ignatius was another shopper at Fashion Island who decided to shop for the first time on Black Friday. Ignatius, 29, said what brought her out was curiosity.

The Tustin resident wanted to see for herself what it’s like to shop on Black Friday, she said.

“Every store has some kind of a discount,” she said, adding that she completed holiday shopping for three out of the five people on her list of gift recipients.

And then there were other shoppers who couldn’t afford the higher-end goods, even those selling at slashed down prices at South Coast Plaza and Fashion Island.

Kerry Babbitt went to Target in Costa Mesa to shop for regular household items, but ended up buying two Christmas presents because they were very cheap, she said.

Babbitt, who lost her job of almost 14 years three months ago, said she never had to think about how much anything cost.

But for the first time this year, the 45-year-old Costa Mesa resident is having to think about it.

This year, she’s only buying gifts for the children in her family because she can’t afford to buy anything for the adults.