Ok! So which is it?

U.S. Consumers Spent 3.5% Less on Holiday Shopping This Weekend, NRF Says U.S. consumers spent 3.5 percent less during the post-Thanksgiving Day holiday weekend than a year earlier as retailers slashed prices to lure customers grappling with higher food and energy costs.

U.S. Sales Rose 8.3% on `Black Friday' as Holiday Shopping Season Begins U.S. consumers spent $10.3 billion on holiday purchases the day after Thanksgiving, 8.3 percent more than a year earlier, as retailers promoted toys and electronics to lure shoppers.

It seems as though Black Friday sales outnumbered that of the year before but, overall for that weekend consumers shopped less. If you think about it the bargains after Black Friday are not as enticing.