New data reveals which malls are best for Black Friday shopping

A new ranking has named the best shopping malls in the US for Black Friday this year, with Minnesota’s Mall of America taking the top spot
The ranking scored each mall based on footfall, parking, store variety, refreshment availability, opening hours, and traffic congestion
Sawgrass Mills in Florida and Westfield Garden State Plaza in New Jersey both boast the best on-the-day opening hours for shoppers
Meanwhile, shoppers driving in Hawaii need to be particularly cautious, as the state has a higher likelihood of road accidents in November

A new ranking has revealed which major shopping mall in the US is the best for shopping on Black Friday this year - with Minnesota’s Mall of America named top.

The ranking, created by Yocan Vaporizer, awarded each mall a score out of 10 based on footfall, parking availability and cost, the stores available, the number of eateries, November traffic congestion, and their Black Friday opening hours, to name the best for consumers.

Footfall considered daily visitors to each mall, while parking measured all-day costs and total spaces. Stores and refreshments looked at the number listed in each mall’s directory, and opening hours are based on those listed for this year’s Black Friday.

Traffic congestion was measured based on which state reported the highest number of road incidents at the end of November compared to the rest of the year.

When all the factors are measured, it turns out that Mall of America in Minnesota reigns victorious, as it scored an impressive 8.4 out of 10 - performing best overall for the number of stores listed in its directory and offering the best parking availability for the best price.

The mall has almost 500 stores (483) - including two department stores and 117 women’s apparel retailers - and provides an impressive 13.9k parking spaces, all free to use all day.

On Black Friday, the mall is open from 7 am to 9 pm - for an impressive 14 hours. Traffic should also be tolerable, as just 8% of the state’s annual traffic incidents occur in November - which is 9% less than the national average (8.8%).

Following behind the Mall of America as the second-best choice for Black Friday is Pennsylvania’s King of Prussia mall, which performed best overall for traffic congestion, with just 7.8% of the state’s road incidents occurring during November each year.

The mall also performed well for parking space availability and cost, with 13k spaces available for free all day - and this is ideal for those visiting on Friday, as King of Prussia is reportedly planning to open from 6 am to 9 pm - for a whopping 15 hours.

Pennsylvania also takes the third spot as home to one of the best malls for Black Friday shoppers, as the Millcreek Mall rounds out the top three with a score of 6.1 out of 10.

The mall performed best for footfall, with its space (200,000 m2) more than able to accommodate its 33,151 daily visitors - although they might struggle to fill their day once there, as Millcreek was among the lowest scorers for the number of stores and eateries.

Like the King of Prussia Mall, the mall will be open from 6 am to 9 pm on Black Friday, a further three compared to its usual opening hours of 11 per weekday and Saturday.

On the other end of the ranking, the mall that is the least suitable for Black Friday shopping is the NorthPark Center in Texas, which scored just 2.5 out of 10.

The mall was primarily let down by its number of eateries, with just 36 listed in the directory, compared to the average of 53 provided in all analyzed malls. NorthPark also has some of the least accommodating opening hours, as it’s open for 11 hours on Black Friday.

The mall that performed best for refreshments is the Ala Moana Center in Hawaii, with 116. Still, drivers commuting to the center should be particularly cautious when dealing with high congestion, as 9.5% of the state’s traffic incidents occur throughout November each year.

As well as looking at which malls offer the best shopping experience, the data also analyzed which centers are best for specific gifts for various recipients based on who stores cater to.

The best mall for those looking to be able to visit one store and get a variety of typical gifts is the Ala Moana Center, as it has the highest number of department stores. Meanwhile, the Mall of America is best for shopping for kids due to its many toy stores.

The Aventura Mall should be the go-to for those shopping for their partner as it has the most stores tailored to women (beauty, fashion, jewelry) and men (sports, watches, tech). It’s also best for those wanting specialty gifts such as vapes, tobacco, or CBD products.

Commenting on the findings, a Yocan Vaporizer spokesperson said: “Shopping on Black Friday is known to be stressful, especially for those who dislike dealing with crowds or struggle with indecision. Finding parking is also a common stressor, and unaccommodating opening hours make it difficult to get what you need when you can.

“While many of us accept this experience as draining each year, it’s good to see that some malls offer a slightly more relaxing and accessible shopping experience than others. It’s always a good idea to make a bit of an action plan before tackling a mall so that you at least feel more in control - especially if you’re looking for a particular deal or discount.”