The 2021 holiday season appears to be blending some traditional shopping patterns with some mid-pandemic changes.

Consumers are expected to return en masse to traditional retail venues, spend more and make purchases earlier this year to avoid shipping delays. That has consequences for retailers. Black Friday — coined for the day when retailers shift from “red” to “black” and turn a profit for the year — appears to be a phenomenon of the past and now replaced by the “Thanksgiving Week” shopping period extending several days into Cyber Monday.

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“Digital shopping is obviously here to say, but consumers are anxious to leave their homes and in-store shopping will regain some ground that was lost last year,” stated Cailey Locklair, President of the Maryland Retailers Association. “As concerns with the pandemic ease, the seven-year low we experienced last season is expected to reverse. We continue to encourage the support of local stores given their positive impact on our communities, jobs and tax revenue.”



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