Black Friday, a once highly anticipated holiday event, has disappointedly gone down in popularity. With other early sales, mediocre deals, and the rise of online shopping, many people reconsider their participation in the once celebrated event.
The term “Black Friday” dates back to the 1960s, when police officers in Philadelphia would use the phrase to describe the chaos sprung from large numbers of people coming into the city to start their holiday shopping. Black Friday did not make a huge profit in sales for retailers until the 1980s, when the red-to-black profit narrative was spread. Black Friday was seen as a day that stores would make huge profits and would eventually become the biggest shopping day in the United States.
Now, however, things are changing due to the rise of online shopping, among other things.
The simple truth is that shopping online is easier. Consumers can shop from the comfort of their homes without having to deal with any troubles that may arise from in-person shopping.
Online shopping is seen as the more convenient option as it’s easier to find what you are looking for online and allows for the opportunity to browse multiple stores in a short amount of time when compared to taking hours out of your day to browse a few stores.
Also, many stores often offer the same deals virtually as Black Friday would. “Cyber Monday” is the online counterpart of Black Friday, which takes place Monday after Thanksgiving, where online stores offer the same deals to consumers who couldn’t make it to Black Friday stores. Shoppers are able to shop great deals without having to go in-person.
Cyber Monday is just one example of how online shopping deals have impacted Black Friday. Now, companies are offering virtual deals even a week early, meaning customers don’t have to wait for Black Friday to get their shopping fix. The early deals blur the lines of what it means for and when it is that people can celebrate the holiday. Around 55% of consumers took advantage of early sales and promotions before Black Friday in 2023, drastically impacting overall activity on the true date of sales.
Black Friday has become more casual compared to what it used to be at its peak because it is just one of many days the consumers can snag deals. The early availability of sales has led to consumers feeling that the Friday after Thanksgiving is unnecessary to go out for one day of rare offerings.
And, the deals themselves are not even quite as good as they used to be. Sales have become mediocre and unimpressive compared to what they once were years back. WalletHub discovered that around 41% of items on Black Friday offer no real savings compared to their usual prices. The items that are on sale this year are at an average of 24% off full price whereas in 2014, just 10 years ago, the average discount was 39% off full price.
The offering of mediocre sales leads to a mediocre in-store turnout. When stores do not offer attractive deals or discounts it usually leads to disappointment and diminishes the excitement to purchase gifts. If it looks like fewer people are out shopping, it is because the hysteric crowds are safely on their couches eating leftovers.
Black Friday has seen a decline in hype over the last few several years due to factors such as a rise in online purchases, the availability of early sales, and the offering of mediocre deals. As a result, the once anticipated event has lost its excitement, leading to a smaller turnout among the many who once treated this day as a holiday itself.
