Deep discounts and fears of limited quantities of holiday must-have items such as Microsoft's Xbox, Harry Potter games and electronic gadgets drove shoppers to the nation's malls at the crack of dawn Friday amid tighter security.
Retailers can only hope to keep the crowds coming as the weeks wear on to avoid what is expected to be the worst holiday shopping season in a decade.
In one optimistic sign: Many stores, including Sears, Roebuck & Co. and KB Toys, as well as mall operators like General Growth Properties reported a heavier turnout of early morning shoppers than in past years.
E-commerce was expected to post larger percentage gains, but they still will be a fraction of those registered last year as consumers retrench amid rising job losses and the slumping economy.
MOSCOW
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