Across the nation millions crowded into shopping centers hoping to get a shot at the best holiday deals. 
   
     Locally, those we spoke to are calling this weekend a success. Officials from Target said sales are on par with last year.

     The owner of CR Toys in Kearney told NTV her sales are better than the previous "Black Friday" weekend. According to the National Retail Federation, the number of folks buying toys rose almost 20 percent.

     To kick off the big shopping season hundreds lined up outside local stores as the economy made getting the big bargains even more important. "We probably had about 500 people lined up. [The line] started at the door and wrapped around the building. The first couple of people in line got here at ten O' clock the night before and spent the night," said Target Store Team Leader Bev Larsen.

     "Black Friday", not only does it signal the start of the holiday shopping season for consumers, but it sets the tone for what retailers can expect as well. It's called "Black Friday" because it marks the day when retailers traditionally started making a profit moving them from the red into the black. As the weekend wraps up in Kearney, Larsen said it's success gives her hope for the rest of the season. "That day does set the tone for the season. So, if you have a good "Black Friday" it usually bodes well for the rest of the season. That you're going to have good sales and lots of people coming in to shop."

     While analysts said the majority of folks were looking for necessities like winter coats, Larsen says her top sellers were electronics like TVs.        

     On the national scene, retailers and malls reported a pretty good start to the holiday shopping season. Analysts said shopping traffic increased this year with 23 million more shoppers than the previous one.

     Despite the extra people, this weekend's sales look to be comparative to last year. This as the average amount spent per consumer dropped eight percent.

     Some places definitely fared better than others. The Mall of America saw record "Black Friday" numbers. "I've talked to people who have worked at the mall for 17 years now. They all say this is the busiest "Black Friday" they have ever seen, which is a good sign for our economy," said Dan Jasper with the Mall of America.

     More people were out getting those "Black Friday" bargains this year than last. Friday sales brought in almost $11 billion more than last year. But overall, for the four day weekend, sales ended at about $41 billion which is pretty close to where they were last year.

     The cash is expected to continue coming in for stores as tomorrow brings "Cyber Monday". It's the unofficial start of the online holiday shopping season with retailers slashing prices on their online merchandise. 

     Already web analysts are reporting that online sales for Thanksgiving and "Black Friday" rose 11 percent. The NRF is expecting an additional 100 million folks to be checking out those deals online Monday.