The End of Black Friday
I'm just going to say it. We need to get rid of Black Friday.
Before you close your window and never return to read my blog again, let me add that we need to get rid of Black Friday as we know it. Specifically, we need to stop with the door-busting deals at retail stores.
What started as a great idea to drive sales and provide value to consumers has gotten out of hand and spiraled into a mess of chaos. Exhibit 1 is a video that has been shared widely showing shoppers at Walmart fighting over $2 waffle makers.
I kind of think of it as a game of chicken. On one side you have retailers trying to lure customers with ridiculously low prices.
On the other you have customers trying to brave all obstacles to buy these items.
Who is crazier? Which side will be smart enough to stop this madness?
Let's take a look at some of the numbers involved:
Black Friday
Wait in line/ camp out for 8 hours (estimated)
Select discounted items for purchase (did you even get what you wanted or did they run out of limited quantities?)
Wait in line to buy the items (additional time drain)
Feel good about yourself for how much you saved ($50? $100? $500?)
Go home and pass out
Consider how much you money you earn in a day (estimated 8 hours).
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Before you close your window and never return to read my blog again, let me add that we need to get rid of Black Friday as we know it. Specifically, we need to stop with the door-busting deals at retail stores.
What started as a great idea to drive sales and provide value to consumers has gotten out of hand and spiraled into a mess of chaos. Exhibit 1 is a video that has been shared widely showing shoppers at Walmart fighting over $2 waffle makers.
I kind of think of it as a game of chicken. On one side you have retailers trying to lure customers with ridiculously low prices.
On the other you have customers trying to brave all obstacles to buy these items.
Who is crazier? Which side will be smart enough to stop this madness?
Let's take a look at some of the numbers involved:
Black Friday
Wait in line/ camp out for 8 hours (estimated)
Select discounted items for purchase (did you even get what you wanted or did they run out of limited quantities?)
Wait in line to buy the items (additional time drain)
Feel good about yourself for how much you saved ($50? $100? $500?)
Go home and pass out
Consider how much you money you earn in a day (estimated 8 hours).
Was it worth it? I may not be the best example given my current situation, but would the amount you saved have been covered by one day of work? If so, why not just spend what you earned in a day instead of trying to save it waiting around?
Now let's include some unquantifiable factors. For the sake of comparison, let's look at it from the perspective of not engaging in Black Friday.
Black Friday
Sleep cycle isn't ruined from staying out to wait in line
Don't risk getting pepper-sprayed
Reportedly in self-defense due to the risk of getting trampled
Don't risk getting shot
Less likely to get sick (from staying out in the cold)
Is it worth it now?
If only there was another way to get Black Friday deals... oh wait, there is.
Buying online. Using that thing called the Internet.
Now let's include some unquantifiable factors. For the sake of comparison, let's look at it from the perspective of not engaging in Black Friday.
Don't risk getting pepper-sprayed
Reportedly in self-defense due to the risk of getting trampled
Don't risk getting shot
Less likely to get sick (from staying out in the cold)
Is it worth it now?
If only there was another way to get Black Friday deals... oh wait, there is.
Buying online. Using that thing called the Internet.
Posted by coolguyphil at 11/28/2011 4:16 PM 
Categories: commentary
Tags: the end of black friday black friday as we know it door-busting deals retail stores walmart $2 waffle makers sleep cycle pepper-sprayed trampled shot sick buying online
Categories: commentary
Tags: the end of black friday black friday as we know it door-busting deals retail stores walmart $2 waffle makers sleep cycle pepper-sprayed trampled shot sick buying online
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