What’s Wrong About Black Friday Shopping?

Black Friday Gifts - Exploding EmojiPhotics.com is an international website. For much of the world, November 28, 2013 is just another Thursday. My friends in Canada, they celebrated their Thanksgiving Day over a month ago. So normally, I don’t write about issues that are exclusive to the United States. I also avoid topics like religion or politics. But after seeing lots of negative press about Black Friday shopping. I felt motivated to post up.

A traditional Thanksgiving day is usually a turkey dinner with family. I think that’s a wonderful thing. It’s important to reflect on the blessings of life and to share that moment with those close to you. Yet, after the dinner is done, why is it wrong to want to save hundreds of dollars on a TV?

Even as I type this article, I’m partaking in another traditional Thanksgiving Day celebration. I’m watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. What is the parade at its core? It’s a great marketing tool for a business. The parade route ends at Macy’s. So, I’m not going to pretend that shopping is a blight on the holiday. It’s part of the holiday. I’m not a big fan of parades, but I don’t look down on those that enjoy them. As a NYC resident, I know that it’s crazy cold in Manhattan. Yet, I’m not going to insult those that think it’s fun. Enjoy the balloons and the shows. If that’s how you want to spend your Thanksgiving Day morning, that’s cool.

So what’s with the scorn towards Black Friday sales? Why is it more socially acceptable to watch the Raiders vs. the Cowboys rather than strolling the aisles of Target, Best Buy or Toys “R” Us? I’m not about to pitch a tent outside of a retail store, but I’m not going to insult those that do. These are hard economic times. Black Friday might be the only chance for someone to become a holiday hero. Target has sale on a 50″ 1080p LED HDTV. It’s normally $599.99, but the Black Friday sale is $229. That’s a huge savings.

True, things can get chaotic on Black Friday. People can get greedy. People can even get killed, trampled in a shopping frenzy. I don’t condone the madness. It’s not the reason for the season. Is it a good idea for retail stores to encroach on a federal holiday? Some stores are opening as early as 6am. That doesn’t seem necessary to me.

Black Friday can get a bit ridiculous. I saw a sale on Amazon.com… 57% off potato chips. :lol:

Yet, I am curious about participating. The idea of braving the frenzy sounds like an adventure. Two years ago, I bought a PC laptop that was on sale. It wasn’t a Black Friday sale, but I still enjoy talking about how cheap it was. Because it was so cheap, I went back during the holiday shopping season to get another. The sale returned, so the second laptop made a great gift.

While I’m not planning to punch, kick and elbow my way to a new television, I think I will try wandering into the stores after Thanksgiving dinner. Nothing too crazy, it’s just walk after a big meal. If the stores look bad, there’s always Cyber Monday. Online shopping is more civilized.

2 thoughts on “What’s Wrong About Black Friday Shopping?”

  1. In Canada, we get none of that. I went to three malls in Ottawa looking for Beats headphones at 9:00AM, 11:30AM, and 4:30PM. I found the amount of people very disappointing compared to what I had heard. I guess this is an American thing. Also, I got a $250 netbook for $40 (like new, barely used) at a garage sale. What was your deal?

    1. Best Buy had a 39″ 1080P LED HDTV on sale for almost 50% off. It’s going to be a gift. The experience wasn’t too chaotic. After eating Thanksgiving dinner, I walked over to Best Buy. There was a rather long line, but the crowd control was smart. Only small groups of people could go in at a time. I waited about 45 minutes, but it was fun.

      There were some odd moments though… like trying to avoid a guy that looked really wasted or the guys trying to sell “vouchers”.

      At one point, we were in front of a McDonalds. Surprisingly, it was open. I remember looking in and thinking that it must suck to work on Thansgiving Day. But quickly I realized something — the workers were all smiles. Perhaps they were more happy to be inside than outside online.

      At first, I wasn’t sure if I could trust Best Buy. I was thinking that this might be a big bait-and-switch scam. Once inside, it was quite civilized. I didn’t make a mad dash for the TVs. I casually strolled over and there was a huge stack of TVs just sitting there. There wasn’t even a long line to get out. Plenty of cashiers were there to ring up orders. The shoppers were quite civilized and Best Buy was quite organized. The whole experience improved my opinion of Best Buy.

      Black Friday shopping seemed kinda cool too. I might do it again next year. I think the key is to not let greed take over your better judgement. It’s also important to stay alert, because it can be dangerous. But when done properly, it’s fun and rewarding.

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