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for retailers. >> it's all crazy all over the place. a little too much but i figured this year why not. >> reporter: foot traffic was up more than 5% from last year, almost a quart over black friday shoppers were in stores by midnight thursday according to the national retail federation which estimated spending for shoppers jumped 9% for the post-thanksgiving weekend why do you think sales were so strong? >> the consumer is much stronger and healthier than people understand. >> reporter: retail analyst craig johnson says americans have been paying down their debt. four years ago the ...

big sales matter because consumer spending accounts for 70% of the u.s. economy. will it last? we asked senior business correspondent anthony mason to look into it. >> reporter: the black friday weekend is the starting gun for the holiday shopping season and it went off with a bang. sales on black friday alone were up 6.6% to more than $11 billion making it the biggest shopping day ever according to shoppertrak. >> if i wait until later i won't get any good items. >> reporter: big discounts and earlier opening hours paid off for retailers. >> it's all crazy all over the place. a litt...

this is the "cbs evening news" with russ mitchell. >> mitchell: and good evening. some encouraging news for the economy tonight. new figures out this evening show retail sales yesterday were the biggest in black friday history. up 6. the 6% over last year for a total of $11.4 well. that's a full billion more than 2010. as elaine quijano tells us, the hopeful predictions follow the earliest black friday opening ever. >> reporter: the turkey wasn't even cold when toys "r" us opened the holiday shopping season at 9:00 p.m. thanksgiving night. santa hats were passed out to customers to e...

dedeals. marshall cohen is an analyst. >> the consumers have asked for this. they're saying we love these deals, we always come out in droves to take advantage of these deals. >> reporter: holiday shopping accounts for 40% of annual sales. many consumers are on tight budgets retailers decided the best strategy to increase their share was to get customers into their stores before the competition. some stores began offering black friday bargains last night. toys "r" us opened its stores at 9:00 p.m. shoppers are savvier than ever and that, according to macy's c.e.o. increases the chall...

with scott p >> o'donnell: good evening, i'm norah o'donnell, scott is off tonight. noack friday is the most anticipated shopping day of the year. with the economy inching along toward recovery, the stakes are high for retailers between today and sunday, 152 million americans are expected to do at least some shopping. and the stores went out of their e two entice the early bird. we have two reports beginning with elaine quijano at macy's in new york city. >> reporter: good evening, norah. evres call this black friday because it's the day they turn a profit. it's always an important d...