I’m not a fan of Black Friday, the shopping holiday “celebrated” in the United States on the day after Thanksgiving. Maybe it’s because “the idea of firstness” is idiotic re: waiting in line for that big sale, or that what happens during a Dethklok performance isn’t supposed to happen in real life. Maybe it’s because of the one time I was a holiday temp at Fred Meyer — laid-off on Christmas Eve — I had a heavy metal tube fall on the nail of my right pinkie while changing out large plastic bags during that day some years ago. Whatever the reason, I’ve always had reservations about this day.
And then, it had to don water skis.
This year, for the first time ever, Black Friday has become Black Thursday. It began when Macy’s wanted to open its doors at midnight alongside Target, Kohl’s, and Best Buy to get the jump on their competition. Walmart didn’t want to be lost in the shuffle, so the big box chain opted to open at 10 PM Thanksgiving evening. If you really need that hyper-popular toy this year, though, Toys R’ Us will open at 9 PM that same evening.
And of course, how can one forget Old Navy’s Gobblepalooza:
Why is this happening? Desperation, plus a bit of psychology. The short version goes like this: A global recession that could go from bad to worse has made retailers nervous. In America, this means that in order to make money this holiday season, the retailers have allowed mission creep to occur, the mission being to pull in as many consumers as desired, having them part with their money with bargains in the process. If enough consumers turn up, everyone wins: The retailers can breathe a short sigh of relief, the consumer gets that high from spending less for the desired goods, and world peace occurs.
This is where reality — the kind that doesn’t cost $10 million USD — makes a stand: Both consumers and the employees who have to forgo being with their families to get ready for the circus of pain that will be Black Thanksgiving are fighting back. One example is of a Target employee in Omaha who created a petition at Change.org asking the big box retailer to rethink opening at midnight 25 November 2011; 100,000+ have signed the petition thus far.
Alas, the other side of the coin, according to Target spokeswoman Molly Synder:
Black Friday is one of the busiest and most competitive shopping days of the year.We have heard from our guests that they want to shop Target following their Thanksgiving celebrations rather than only having the option of getting up in the middle of the night. By opening at midnight, we are making it easier than ever to deliver on our guests wants and needs.
In other words, we’ll need a lot more buy-in on the magnitude of millions before the train finally stops.
What say you? Has Black Friday finally jumped the shark? Will you be in line at midnight or earlier? Will you be on the frontline that cold, dark night? Or is this simply a non-issue?
I think you missed a golden opportunity to use some stills from Dawn of the Dead as stand-in images for Black Friday.
Ron recently posted..NASA Taking Applications For Astronauts
LOL! I suppose I could have sought those out. That said, I think people doing silly dances to promote a shopping campaign and casting a random image of a Walmart in night vision says about the same thing. A sprinkling of Killing Joke helps, too.
Cameron Miquelon recently posted..Has Black Friday Finally Jumped The Shark?
I just don’t get that excited about shopping!
WendyB recently posted..The Truth About Success
I don’t, either. Definitely not on Black Friday; I’ve always wanted to observe the madness as a civilian, though. Maybe I’ll head over to a Walmart or Target this year with a bowl of popcorn to see what happens. ;)
Cameron Miquelon recently posted..Has Black Friday Finally Jumped The Shark?
Ugh… I’m so over this trend! Not going to lie, I like to take part in Cyber Monday stuff from the safety of my home, but Black Friday seriously gives me the heebie jeebies! It’s just too much! Not to mention, you can get the same stuff for the same prices the days after Black Friday, so there’s really no point to go!
Cyber Monday may be safe from the masses, but the masses still go. They go out into the cold night because it’s all about the hunt, albeit for HDTVs instead of antelope, albeit for sales instead of elk. Psychology plays a huge role, tapping into our primal hunter-gather urges in order to track and snag the big sale by creating a huge event around the hunt; consumers are the gladiators (and the lions), the doorbuster is the prize. So long as retailers act as emperors desperate to hold on to their collapsing empire by holding these games, the masses will still come to watch and to participate.
Also: You’re a Hoosier?! From Indy?! I’ve been up there a few times for laser hair reduction at the medical center near Carrolton Mall; need to go up there again soon. Anyway, it’s cool to know there’s a fashion blogger just two hours away (by bus) from me!
Cameron Miquelon recently posted..Links à la Mode – 17 November 2011 Edition
Absolutely not, I detest crowds and the circus accompanied by black Friday. I enjoyed your reply to the first comment where you mention visiting stores to just watch people misbehave, now THAT would be fun.
Best of Palm Beach recently posted..Fab Find: Chanel Mini Flap Bag
Actually, what I would do is enter at 11 PM this coming Thursday at my nearest Target with the workers and any other TV crews, then watch whatever madness unfolds at midnight. Too bad I don’t get hazard pay for blogging. :\
Cameron Miquelon recently posted..Links à la Mode – 17 November 2011 Edition
Some woman at an L.A. Walmart sprayed a crowd with pepper spray to get at some stupid video game. Honestly, I have never shopped Black Friday, and I certainly don’t consider it a holiday. Today I will be hiking with my family, which I think is a much better way to spend a precious day off!
Great article and congrats on being part of the IFB links a la mode this week.
The Style Confessions recently posted..Playing Games
Merci madame. The fact that pepper spray was used by a consumer to get at a video game in a Walmart in Los Angeles — just after an officer at UC-Davis did the same during a peaceful protest not too long ago — says a lot about the abyss society is edging closer towards.
May you and yours have a great time on your hike, and stay safe. Big hugs!
Cameron Miquelon recently posted..Out of the Black, Painted in Red – Black Friday 2011
Groan and sigh. Black Thursday indeed. I only wish we had some cultural bonding methods other than shopping to celebrate with friends and family.
Shopping should not be a hobby or a national pastime. This consumptive method to madness is what has our society on the skids. My opinion.
And shark jumping- I don’t know what that means, but I like it. Much better than the thought of people getting shot at Walmart, peppersprayed in L.A. and getting up at midnight to buy more crap.
Bella Q recently posted..Subtle Paisley + Small Business Saturday
Shark jumping, or as it’s known in TV Tropes parlance, “Jumping the Shark,” is the moment when a TV show does something so out-of-character and desperate in order to stay relevant, the show has reached its zenith of quality and quickly heads downhill into the trash bin of history. The trope’s origin is an episode of Happy Days where The Fonz literally jumps a shark, signifying the writers had finally run out of ideas. The show went on for a few seasons after, but it just wasn’t the same.
This what Black Friday just did this year. It will get worse, I’m sure. It will go on — barring WWIII breaking out — and it will become a symptom of society’s greater problem… whatever that might be.
The only way I’ll go visit a store on that day is if I’m paid to cover it. Judging by what happened in Los Angeles, I’m going to need pepper spray and a Taser if I do. *facepalm*
Cameron Miquelon recently posted..Out of the Black, Painted in Red – Black Friday 2011
It sure seems like it’s jumped the shark. God, I hope so. I’ve been considering getting back into retail, and one of my major reasons for balking at it as a career is how much I hate Black Friday and how miserable the anticipation of it used to make me when I worked at Target and then Best Buy during college.
If what happened today is any indication, you’re better off (and safer) opening a boutique.
Cameron Miquelon recently posted..Out of the Black, Painted in Red – Black Friday 2011
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