Crowds head to stores Thanksgiving Day looking for deals

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The holiday shopping season has started and it's not even technically Black Friday. The sales started Thursday at many big box retailers.

There was a mad dash into Macy's Union Square once the doors opened at 5 p.m. Thursday.

The line to start shopping at Target in San Francisco was long and for some it's a Thanksgiving Day tradition.

"We eat dinner and then we go out around 2 p.m. and wait in the lines until they let us go inside," said Scott Reynolds, a shopper.

For others, it was something new to try.

"We never usually do, it's just out of the ordinary that we just came and did it," said shopper Kieran Mitchell.

It really is hard to beat the Black Friday deals. The sales are everywhere and retailers are betting they'll bring in the customers.

"People love to shop. We're driven by products and everybody wants to get in early," said Target store manager Ken Cornejo.

"It's $150 off the iPad Pro and $125 off the iPad Air 2," said shopper Gordon Wong.

Discounted Apple products are at the top of a lot of shopping lists and then there are those who aren't afraid to admit they Black Friday store hop.

"I just left Macy's, I'm here at Target, I'm probably going to go to Best Buy, wherever else I can find," said shopper Demetrius Howard.

The Thanksgiving night post turkey wandering, whether shopping or just strolling, is all part of the holiday spirit.