Shoppers out early for Black Friday

GRAND CHUTE - A wave of savvy shoppers flooded the Fox River Mall early Friday morning to find the best Black Friday bargains.

But before Target's doors opened at 5 a.m., was the line and the anticipation.

"We're going to get the external hard drive on sale, the toys on sale, stuff like that," Keri Campbell of Appleton said.

The deals weren't the only draw for the shoppers who started the line Thursday night.

"This is my first year, and I really wanted the experience, pretty much came along for the ride, to see the craziness,” Mikaela Johnson of Appleton said. “I didn't know what to expect.”

“It's not the product I'm here for, it's more of a rush, basically you're shopping for your dear life," Tonia VanAsten of Appleton said.

Once the shopping began, Target didn't report any problems.

"It took 20 minutes to get everyone in,” Target executive team leader Tyler Lingenhag said. “(There were) more people than last year"

With the chaos of black Friday, the rules go out the window. You wouldn't usually expect big-ticket TVs in women's clothing, so Target handed out maps to show their special sections."

“I think they felt very comfortable, 'I know where it is.’ The mad rush was not there,” VanAsten said. "Normally, I'm, like, almost on the floor, people knocking me over. Never happened."

No one was injured in the chaos, but there were some hurt feelings. Some shoppers tell us they weren't able to get their hands on Friday morning's doorbuster deals. Though some shoppers say they came too late, retailers hope these Black Friday crowds are only a sign of what the holiday season will bring.