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Star Wars Force Friday A $1 Billion Boon For Retailers

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Force Friday, the day when Star Wars licensed merchandise goes on sale, is shaping up as a force to be reckoned with and could produce $1 billion in sales for U.S. retailers.

Retailers began selling merchandise at midnight on Sept. 3 and product is being promoted all day. It's a calculated marketing scheme designed to capture sales from Star Wars fans a full three months before the movie release.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is scheduled for a December release, but the merchandise needed to be available for the holiday season. It's a calculated maneuver and one expect to ring up as much as $5 billion in merchandise worldwide, and $1 billion here a home.

Star Wars has created a Force Friday event guide and fans lined up for the midnight toy rollout at Target, Toys R Us and Walmart. Specialty retailers such as Petco scored Star Wars dog toys and Best Buy is promoting the movies, games and other merchandise in addition to taking pre-orders for the Star Wars: Battlefront video game .

But it's Disney that will benefit the most. The studio paid $4 billion for Lucasfilm in 2012, and will get all box-office revenue as well as the licensing fees for the hundreds of products across the toy, apparel video and electronics categories.

Is it Christmas in July? Sort of. Retailers have struggled to create shopping events beyond during traditional low-sales periods. Labor Day weekend may bring out shoppers in repossess to mattress sales events and those embarking on home improvement projects during the long weekend, but traditionally consumers are more inclined to catch some last rays of summer and spend time with family. Sales over the long weekend are generally soft.

Except this weekend, when kids and adults alike will be stopping in for a little taste of a their favorite movie franchise.

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