Shoppers were out in full force at the Palisades Center Mall today for what many consider the start of the holiday-shopping season. Many stores opened their doors early this morning and stayed packed with eager customers throughout the day. The dedicated shoppers braved heavy crowds and long lines in search of the best deals. Most say they were able to find exactly what they were looking for.

"I got here at four in the morning, so I haven't ate breakfast, I haven't slept?but at least I did some shopping," says customer Luisa Calle.

For shoppers who prefer to avoid Black Friday, retailers say there will still be plenty of deals to come during the rest of the holiday-shopping season.

Thousands hunt for Black Friday deals at Woodbury Common Outlets Some shoppers refuse to cash in on Black Friday deals