The tricks stores use to lure shoppers off the internet and back into the malls as Christmas shopping season kicks off on Black Friday

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As the Christmas shopping season kicks into high gear on Black Friday, US stores have been trying to get creative with the tricks they use to lure shoppers off the internet and back into the thick of it.

Shopping malls in several states are scheduling Santa photo shoots with family pets as one way to attract customers in the face of the exploding online shopping realm.

Brick-and-mortar stores have expanded their bag of tricks - and gotten increasingly bold - as they look to lure shoppers who might otherwise be happy to stay on the couch and pick up gifts while still in their pajamas.

For the holiday shopping season, malls are hosting gingerbread decorating sessions, visits from the Grinch and ugly Christmas sweater nights. 

US stores have been trying to get creative with the tricks they use to lure shoppers off the internet, including elaborate magical winter decor like Macy's in New York

Temporary ice skating rinks and magical winter decor - like the famous Macy's window displays in New York - are also being used to draw customers intent on an in-person holiday experience. 

Wal-Mart stores plans to throw more than 20,000 'holiday parties' at which children can pose for 'selfies with Santa.' 

The flagship Bloomingdale's store in New York has held yoga classes in the past, while Nordstrom has displayed Tesla cars near the section for men's suits.

A number of shops now also ply visitors with food and drink. 

'All of these retailers are desperate to get people into their stores,' said analyst Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail, who added a note of caution about all the promotions.

'Whether they work or not is open to debate.'

Most experts predict a solid holiday shopping season, with IHS Markit projecting overall sales growth of 4.2 per cent to about $685 billion, said Chris Christopher, executive director at IHS. 

Shopping malls in several states are scheduling Santa photo shoots with family pets as one way to attract customers in the face of the exploding online shopping realm

Temporary ice skating rinks and magical winter decor are also being used to draw customers intent on an in-person holiday experience

Online sales are expected to account for 18.3 per cent of holiday sales this year, up from 16.8 percent last year, according to IHS. 

Surveys show that creating a festive holiday atmosphere is one way to prompt consumers to pocket their smartphones for a few hours and hit the mall.

About a third of consumers said they enjoyed holiday shopping as a family tradition and 23 per cent said they most enjoy holiday decorations, said a National Retail Federation survey. 

As e-commerce has grabbed bigger market share, chains like Target and Gap have invested heavily in smartphone apps and sophisticated 'big data' programs to target consumers and price most effectively.

Upscale department store Nordstrom is offering 24-hour curbside pickup at a handful of stores for the final nine days of the shopping season.

The Macy's store in New York is always a big attraction during the holiday season given their Christmas window displays

'Customers increasingly want to shop where, how and when they choose, and 24/7 Curbside Pickup is one service we're offering to support their experience,' said Shea Jensen, senior vice president of customer experience at Nordstrom.

Department store Kohl's is taking to heart a common motto - if you can't beat them, join them.

Kohl's will accept returns of goods bought on Amazon at its stores in Chicago and Los Angeles - and will pack and ship the unpackaged items back to the online behemoth at no charge.

The hope is that Amazon shoppers will linger and buy a few items from Kohl's.

'We have a really very simple, straightforward objective here, and that is driving traffic is the number one priority we have as a company,' chief executive Kevin Mansell said earlier this month.