Shopping Frenzy Ensues Days Before Christmas

From stores having big time deals to the latest Air Jordan sneakers going on sale, shoppers are in a frenzy just days before Christmas. INSIDE EDITION has the story.

It was mayhem at the mall as shoppers battled over sneakers. Brawls broke out in stores in the tri-state area and across America as desperate shoppers tried to get their hands on the latest pair of Air Jordan XI basketball shoes which only went on sale Saturday.

The fuss is over Nike's coveted Air Jordan XI Gamma Blues. They sell for $185 and they're so much in demand that they have triggering riots in Los Angeles, Dallas, Louisville, Atlanta, and New York.

There was pandemonium when a store in New York closed it's doors, leaving hundreds of disappointed shoppers outside and very upset.

INSIDE EDITION's Les Trent asked CNBC consumer reporter Kelli Grant, "The release of these Air Jordans so close to Christmas, do you believe that was designed to create this frenzy going into Christmas shopping?"

Grant said, "I think the frenzy would have happened at any time, honestly, year after year with these shoes."

There were no ugly scenes at a Walmart in Tewkesbury, Massachusetts where Beyoncé made a surprise visit to the store to promote her new album and gave all 750 customers inside a $50 gift card.

She told customers, “The first $50 of your Christmas shopping today is on me!”

Beyoncé is in a feud with retail giants Target and Amazon, who are refusing to sell her album in retaliation for her releasing it first digitally on iTunes. The chart topping album sold a million copies on iTunes in five days.

Beyoncé looked absolutely stunning in an eye-popping skin-tight mini-dress at the official release of her album at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan. She spoke out about the album and the furor it has caused. She said, “This is the bravest thing I’ve ever done!”

Meanwhile, some major retailers are staying open 24 hours to pull in last minute Christmas shoppers.

Experts say it's a sign some stores are hurting after a disappointing season.

Grant said, "This year in particular people seem resistant to spend. People have been inundated with deals from very early in the season and we've hit a wall."

Some stores are even starting their post-holiday sales early

Grant said, "We are starting to see the early sales of this post-holiday push in the final hours of pre-Christmas shopping."