STORY: Target's strategy to boost Black Friday sales can be summed up in two words: Taylor Swift.

Shoppers stood outside in frigid temperatures before dawn on Friday at some of the retailer's nearly 2,000 U.S. locations - including this one in Kyle, Texas - as Target is exclusively selling Swift's new book based on her record-breaking Eras Tour, as well as updated vinyl and CD versions of her album "The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology".

Twenty-five-year-old Victor Hernandez got all three at a Target in Los Angeles.

"I knew that I had to wake up at 5:00 a.m., probably to get in line. And I was really worried because I was like, 'No, I don't want to wake up early.' But it's Taylor Swift, so I have to, I have to sacrifice."

Some stores on Friday reported empty shelves by as early 9:30am eastern time - no small feat considering the book costs $39.99, the vinyl album $59.99, and the CD is $17.99. Target will begin offering all three on its app and website on Saturday.

The retailer is hoping to buck a long stretch of slowing sales.

Last week, Target forecast holiday-quarter sales and profit below Wall Street estimates, sending its shares tumbling.

It faces stiff competition from Walmart, which started its holiday deals on Nov. 11 with discounts on everything from Samsung TVs to Dyson vacuum cleaners.

The National Retail Federation expects more than 85 million shoppers to visit stores this year, up from 76 million last year.

And online sales are expected to rise nearly 10% from a year ago, according to projections from Adobe Analytics, which estimates the total amount at almost $11 billion.