SMITHFIELD, N.C. — Many stores opened bright and early for Black Friday -- one of the busiest shopping days of the year.
Many malls and individual stores
extended hours Friday
, opening early and staying open late.
In Smithfield, holiday shoppers waited in line for stores to open at midnight. The Carolina Premium Outlet Mall started this tradition three years ago.
Outlet stores and online shopping are expected to get some of strongest sales growth this season.
Because of the late Thanksgiving, shoppers will have less time to ship gifts. The U.S. Postal Service and U.P.S. encourage shippers to send packages during the first two weeks of December.
The busiest shipping days are expected during the week of Dec. 15.
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