Shopping early for the holiday season

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Black Friday raises the intensity of the Christmas shopping season but some people have already started to beat the crowds.

Christmas trees already greet shoppers in places like Fig Garden Village.

Some people do not wait until Thanksgiving to start their holiday shopping.

Alvena Loewen has been both browsing and buying.

Loewen said, "I don't do Black Friday. No, I like to...because I feel like the sales are just as good at other times."

An exclusive Action News poll conducted by Survey-USA shows 34% of 525 people surveyed have already started their holiday shopping.

28% Will start after Thanksgiving while 21% will not shop at all. 6% Will start in early December.

Vida Harandi said, "Oh yes, I did start shopping. As a matter of fact, we're shopping this week and then next weekend we're going to San Francisco to shop more."

But many people do not buy presents until they can do some comparison shopping online.

Shawn Deremer has noticed how fierce online competition has forced stores to offer more deals.

"These retail markets I think they have to drop their prices in order to compete. I think people want a good price and they want a good deal if they can find it in some of these brick and mortar institutions I think you can try to get them out. You have to find a way to get them out of their house and get them to the stores," Deremer said.

For those who want to know - just 42 days left until Christmas.