Black Friday Insanity

Black Friday has passed into the ether for another year, and it's online equivalent, Cyber Monday. Over the years, Black Friday has had an almost mythical reputation as a day where people have to go out. It is almost like some tradition, where people head out, often in the bitter cold of winter, and camp out outside. Then, it is an absolute free for all for the sales of this day.

Over the past number of years, Black Friday has gotten more and more insane by each passing year. Are there deals? In many ways, there are deals, but the fact is stores tend to use any number of subtle tricks that will make you think that you are getting a better deal than you thought. It is actually a sneaky, and quite intelligent aspect of the day.

Throughout the year, the average retail prices slowly spike more and more. Granted, in this failing economy, who would even notice? The prices of everything are going up in this day and age. It does cost an arm and a leg to get even the most simple things. Do you ever look at your budget and cringe? Naturally, we are going to jump for a deal.

Of course, those deals are going to be an illusion. The deals are only going to be slightly below what we were going to pay normally, or right at what we pay. Yet, they seem like they are much more expensive. Stores are smart in exploiting people, and making them think they have a good deal. In fact, one could argue that the best time to shop would shop for Christmas would be in the weeks after.

Yet, each and every year people tend to get over fights for merchandise. Is this genius, or insane? Genius on the parts of the store, insane on the part of the customers. Well, until the point you get to the liability lawsuits that are part and parcel for this day. Every story you might hear about someone being trampled, it really is insane.

Then again, I've never been one for the Black Friday hysteria. Some people have been, and the stores do make a killing off of the day. When I hear about people fighting over shoes or the hottest holiday toy, I just want to shake my head.