SAN ANTONIO — Shoppers in San Antonio lined up for early Black Friday deals on Friday as major retailers launched promotions weeks ahead of the holiday, while the U.S. Postal Service prepared for a record volume of holiday mail.
Target stores opened with giveaways for the first 100 customers, drawing early crowds at the Wonderland of the Americas location. Some shoppers said they were limiting spending due to tight budgets. Others traveled from Mexico to take part in the Black Friday experience, continuing long-running family traditions.
The National Retail Federation estimated that 186.9 million people would shop between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday, with many purchases shifting online.
USPS officials said they activated the agency’s national holiday mail counter Friday and recorded more than 1.2 billion mail pieces by midday. The agency increased its package-processing capacity through new sorting machines, facility expansions, and upgraded scanners. It also hired 14,000 seasonal workers.
USPS encouraged customers to ship early and set recommended deadlines of Dec. 17 for Ground Advantage, Dec. 18 for Priority Mail and Dec. 20 for Priority Mail Express. Officials also urged customers to use sturdy boxes, remove old labels, write clear addresses, and place a duplicate label inside packages.
