Black Friday grows less appealing for all involved

New York

BLACK Friday's death has been greatly exaggerated before. This year, not so much.

True, crazed bargain-hunters will never give it up, hooked on middle-of-the-night queues for blenders and fisticuffs over beds-in-a-bag. But the shopping day after Thanksgiving is growing less appealing for all involved. Retailers like Target and Best Buy are spreading discounts through more of November, skimping on costly race-to-the-bottom tactics geared to getting people in the door as soon after the holiday meal as possible. And surveys are finding consumers are less interested in participating in the industry ritual.