Black Friday is one of the
biggest shopping days of the year for the United States. It is some disturbed
tradition in many ways. As we recover from Thanksgiving the previous day, many
of us pull ourselves out of bed, for the sales and for the insanity that is
Black Friday. It is most insanity, as there are people who are dedicated to
getting their shopping day. To be fair, there are deals on Black Friday.
Is it really worth it?
Depends on your perspective, as
people tend to go insane when they are shopping sometimes but there is insane
and then there is INSANE! For those who wish to get a good start on your
Christmas shopping on Black Friday, I think many have gotten the taste of the
insanity. Yet that doesn’t deter you, as the intoxication of the deals are
strong.
Then there are many people who
refuse to step one toe out of the door on Black Friday for fear of their own
lives.
Camping
Out Since When?
There are people who tend to camp
out since two in the morning or earlier to get a prime spot in line for sales.
Which might not be too bad, but where I live, it can be blisteringly cold at
that time of the morning towards the end of November. Then there is snow a lot
of the time around this time of the year. Of course, people will weather
the…well weather, for a bit of a deal and just the insane experience of
shopping on Black Friday.
I’ll be honest, I wouldn’t camp
out in the cold of the night even if you paid me a million dollars. Yet some
people go. If you must risk frostbite or illness, for a few deals, then good
for you. I think you’re insane, but good for you.
Causalities
Are Not Uncommon
There have been cases of poor
hapless Wal-Mart employees being trampled when the doors opened. Often times to
serious injury, but sadly to death many times. That’s kind of messed up. All
over a shopping day, all over a sale. And that’s just with the employees as
well, when that crowd goes in on Black Friday, you keep moving and you don’t
stop to breath or look back. Unless you want your own skull to be used as a
speed bump. Not to mention people who get into scuffles, because someone took
that last top of the line gadget. But they saw it first! Security does earn their
money on Black Friday.
Are
You Really Saving Money on Black Friday?
Here’s something to ponder. A
true measure of sales is to get people to spend money on things that they might
normally. A common consumer trap is to put out some rather attractive sales, to
sucker in the consumer again and again. They’re actually making more money than
they would on a normal business day, because they are drawing in people who
might seldom go to that particular store.
It is genius. People think that
they are saving money, but in reality, they might not really be saving all that
much. It’s the oldest trick in the business playbook. Black Friday is a
masterstroke in that way.
So Black Friday is coming up on
November 25th 2011 this year. No doubt there will be the illusion of
deals and no doubt many brave souls will venture out, likely camping out. Of
course, Online Shopping has gotten in on all of the fun, so you can get money
sucked right out of your wallet for Black Friday, without the potential of a
causality. Your budget notwithstanding of course.
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