Black Friday isn’t what it used to be. Here’s why.

DALLAS — Americans hit malls and big box stores — or just stuck to their shopping apps — in hopes of snagging Black Friday deals as retailers braced for a more subdued spending season.

Despite the day’s dwindling relevance — it’s morphed into a months-long sale pitch — merchants of all sizes dug in. But early indications suggest crowds were thinner — in line with analyst expectations that high inflation, an ever-growing shopping window and simple fatigue would weigh on consumers.