“Black Friday” has been an American tradition since its introduction in Philadelphia the mid-1960’s and has continued to draw in shoppers every year as it is the unofficial beginning to the Christmas season. As many government workers and non-retail workers have the day off on Black Friday, retailers take the opportunities to lower prices and draw in those who took off and have money to spend. With Cyber Monday’s addition in 2005, a rush for online deals has become a popular tradition as well.
What many people do not pay attention to is the risk of Black Friday shopping. For many years, it was common for retailers to open at 6 a.m., but in the late 2000s many had crept to 5:00 a.m. or even 4:00 a.m. This was taken to a new extreme in 2011, when several retailers (like Target)opened at midnight for the first time. But with people trying to get places in lines and fighting for the best deals, there are risks in place. Lindblom Senior Francisco Reyes avoided stores on both Black Friday and Cyber Monday stating, “It’s a death trap. It’s an excuse for people to buy pointless stuff”. He is right, as the day poses risk for shoppers who can have violent altercations with others over something small, or safety risks with camping outside of stores in lines at 2 AM.
Also the tradition of Black Friday has fallen off as well. According to seekingalpha.com, sales on Black Friday 2014 fell 11 percent from last year, as more shoppers shift to online shopping. This shift caused a boost in Cyber Monday 2014 sales that rose 16 percent from last year. Black Friday just is not the same anymore. Lindblom senior Rogelio Dondiego said “The tradition of Black Friday has faded. Sales last longer than they should”. Consumers are learning that better discounts may even come in the week or two leading up to the holidays. So the question now remains. Is Black Friday really worth it anymore?
What many people do not pay attention to is the risk of Black Friday shopping. For many years, it was common for retailers to open at 6 a.m., but in the late 2000s many had crept to 5:00 a.m. or even 4:00 a.m. This was taken to a new extreme in 2011, when several retailers (like Target)opened at midnight for the first time. But with people trying to get places in lines and fighting for the best deals, there are risks in place. Lindblom Senior Francisco Reyes avoided stores on both Black Friday and Cyber Monday stating, “It’s a death trap. It’s an excuse for people to buy pointless stuff”. He is right, as the day poses risk for shoppers who can have violent altercations with others over something small, or safety risks with camping outside of stores in lines at 2 AM.
Also the tradition of Black Friday has fallen off as well. According to seekingalpha.com, sales on Black Friday 2014 fell 11 percent from last year, as more shoppers shift to online shopping. This shift caused a boost in Cyber Monday 2014 sales that rose 16 percent from last year. Black Friday just is not the same anymore. Lindblom senior Rogelio Dondiego said “The tradition of Black Friday has faded. Sales last longer than they should”. Consumers are learning that better discounts may even come in the week or two leading up to the holidays. So the question now remains. Is Black Friday really worth it anymore?