Shoppers continue indulging in Black Friday sales, but mostly online [Video]

Despite retailers offering holiday discounts earlier than usual this year, U.S. consumers did more shopping on Black Friday than the days leading up to it.Video above: Shopping online this holiday season? Here’s how to avoid being scammedIn-store and online retail sales saw a 3.4% increase year-over-year on Black Friday, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse.”Shoppers are making the most of seasonal deals and enjoying a balance of experiences spending and gifts for all loved ones,” said Steve Sadove, senior advisor for Mastercard, in a news release. “They’re more strategic in their shopping though, prioritizing promotions that they believe hold the greatest value — opening their wallets, but with more intentional distribution.”More people turned to online shops on Friday, while in-store sales grew less than 1% compared to last year. According to Mastercard, online sales were up 14.6% from last year. Despite warm weather lasting longer into the fall, apparel was popular with …