PORTLAND, Ore. -- Black Friday is not the busiest shopping day of the year but it is a good barometer of Christmas present. 

Retailers know this year won't match Christmas past but they're doing what they can to ensure a Christmas future. 

This holiday, it's all about “the deal.”

"If it's not on sale I'm not buying," said Adelaide Turner of Beaverton, who came to the Washington Square Best Buy for a GPS device.

 More: Stores may see disappointing Black Friday

Turner said it was a Christmas present to herself.

She also said this year’s all about practicality.

"I'm looking for low prices,” Turner said.

Deals could be the retailers’ saving grace this year.

True, early morning shoppers were out and most parking lots were overflowing, but foot traffic was down slightly over last year. 

The long lines of Black Fridays past were shorter.

Door-busters are still the drawing card to get shoppers up early and through the door.

"We have a lot of customers that are looking for a value, so they're finding what they're looking for," said Kevin Rose, general manager of the Beaverton Best Buy.

But Rose admitted shoppers are still worried over the economy, their jobs and the future.

Shoppers are expected to cut their 2008 holiday budget in half, spending just $431 on average this year.

"We're still going to spend roughly $450 billion in holiday sales," financial analyst Mark Champion said.

It means retailers are practicing tight inventory control to ensure they sell out of everything this year.

"We're going to have some very aggressive pricing. We're going to be there to offer the value offers for our customers," Rose said.

Christmas Eve is traditionally the busiest shopping day of the year in the U.S.