The sign outside Jack Woodward’s Taylor Street shop says it all: Biggest Sale of the Year.

Like other retailers, Woodward, owner of Fashions On The Go, is preparing for Black Friday. Woodward’s Kokomo store specializes in men’s suits, and hip hop and women’s apparel.

And like other retailers, Woodward, who is also the pastor of Strait Gate Church, is interested in making a profit this holiday season, but he can also offer shoppers some good advice to go along with the good deals.

“I don’t think you can buy too many gifts, but people should not overdue it when it comes to holiday shopping,” said Woodward. “The wise men brought gifts when they met baby Jesus. Buying gifts is a way to show your love for someone and your appreciation for them. But people should not overdo gift buying. They should remember Jesus is the reason for celebrating this season.”

Still, Woodward is offering incentives for Black Friday shoppers. On Friday, his store will open at 8 a.m. and will offer 50 percent off items until noon.

Attempting to capitalize on the expected 190 million customers, who will spend an average of $300 to $400 on Friday, many retailers used their Web sites earlier this month to announce sales prior to Black Friday. The day is seen as the official start to the Christmas shopping season, and retailers are hoping to ring up some big sales to boost lagging profits.

Many retailers are expecting to make at least 50 percent of their annual profits and sales during the four-week period leading up to Christmas.

As a result, starting today and continuing through the end of the year, retailers are hoping people also remember the holidays are a reason to celebrate and buy.

According to the Center for Education and Research in Retailing at Indiana University’s Kelly School of Business, November-December retail sales are expected to total $437 billion.

Furthermore, the National Retail Federation expects consumers to spend an average of $682.74 on gifts this season, down from $705.01 in 2008. That led NRF experts to predict a 1 percent decline in total retail shopping.

“A successful holiday season is important nationally, but in the short run, I don’t think it helps areas like Kokomo,” said Alec Friedhoff, a research analyst for the Washington, D.C.-based Brookings Institute. “Kokomo’s economic future is tied to the automotive industry. The health of the U.S. economy may be reflected by what happens this holiday season, that may be valid; but in the long run, for Kokomo, its health is the automotive industry.”

For Black Friday, many stores are opening early — as early as 4 a.m. — and staying open all day.

Offering sales on everything from toys to electronics, crowds are expected to be large Friday, and hopefully safer than last year.

Last year on Black Friday, a Wal-Mart customer was trampled to death in New York while a Toys R Us employee was shot.

Wal-Mart was cited for inadequate crowd management for last year’s incident. It had to create a crowd-management plan for its stores.

As a way to alleviate customers making a mad dash to sale items. This year, the retailer is beginning its sales at 5 a.m., although most of its supercenters already operate 24 hours.

Customers can line up in supervised lines for merchandise. Workers will then distribute items in the order in which a customer joined the line.

Furthermore, for the first time, acknowledging deep discounts and super sales can create unruly crowds, the NRF created a comprehensive crowd-control plan.

Both plans are good approaches to Black Friday crowd control, said David R. Rink.

Rink, professor of marketing at IU Kokomo, said when people have been in line for long hours and haven’t slept, they will likely be short tempered — especially when trying to find the last one-of-a-kind gift.

“When you have hundred of customers trying to get a bargain in a short period of time, and one or two people get out of line, you can have problems,” said Rink, adding multiple entrances can help with traffic flow and while customers are standing in line, stores should provide refreshments to make the long lines more palatable.

“I think for crowd control, stores should have more security to help with traffic flow and additional check-outs. You can even have the local police cruise the parking lots.”

Mary Martin, Markland Mall’s assistant marketing manager, said when the mall opens at 5 a.m. Friday, some stores will offer refreshments to customers standing in line.

“We will be ready. Traffic around here has been sporadic during the week, but since the end of September, it has really picked up,” said Martin.

“I think a lot of people have been shopping early due to having limited funds and now they are interested in buying add-on gifts. Black Friday is a big event here and retailers will have deals.”

• K.O. Jackson is the Kokomo Tribune’s business writer. He can be reached at (765) 854-6739 or via e-mail kirven.jackson@ kokomotribune.com