The day after Thanksgiving. Known to those in the retail industry as Black Friday or Blitz Day. It is the one day a year we intentionally wake up before the crack of dawn to wait in a line a quarter of a mile long for two hours because the plasma screen T.V. we've been coveting is fifty dollars less than it usually is at Best Buy. It is the one day a year solely dedicated to American Consumerism. It kicks off the beginning of traditional Christmas shopping.
I, myself, have been guilty of this reckless abandon of finances to snag a sweet new desktop computer before the soccer moms get one for their household and the technologically savvy gurus buy it to compare it to the previous model. Thanksgiving arrives and as much as I love the family time and stuffing myself of mashed potato goodness, I eagerly await the morning newspaper (the thickest of the year!) chalk full of advertisements for sales at all the stores within a fifty-mile radius of my home. I admit that until last year, I have never been one to wake up at 4 a.m. and wait in line natural light has finally shown itself, but I do look forward to purchasing things that are not usually in my "college-kid" budget.
Bargain-hungry shoppers race to malls to be the first in line to purchase the best of the retailer's door-buster deals and the media frequently refer to this highly anticipated Friday as the busiest retail day of the year. However, depending on the year, Black Friday may be the second busiest shopping day only to fall behind Christmas Eve.
We go through great lengths to get what we want when we want it. When the Nintendo Wii debuted in September 2006, customers stood in line for days in advance just to be the first to have the new gaming technology. Halo 3 made its mark in the books when it out-sold all previous games, movies and books. It's pre-order sales alone blew any competitors it had out of the water. When the seventh Harry Potter was released, Borders Bookstores across the nation and its similar counterparts in the world, held midnight release parties so the throngs of people could find out what happens to the wizarding wonder before the actual "release day." And just recently, "The Dark Knight" became the highest grossing movie for an opening weekend due to the hundreds of Batman fans who stood outside the theater until seating began. In a world that is so advanced that there is always something new, I'm positive all those records will we topped again in no time.
We are primarily a society full of consumers, but when we will say, "that's enough"? If we are so enthused about shoulder-to-shoulder shopping before the sun is out, does our need to consume have no limitations? Why must we always want more? What is it about days like Black Friday that drive us to do the insane?
36 comments:
I think that this social phenomenon is as much about getting the newest and coolest new toy as it is a tradition. We have come to equate the Christmas season with getting and buying all the coolest things. I think that as long as America is the economical power house that it is, that this trend will continue. All marketing firms and companies know that if they make a better toy or device that everyone will be back next year to buy it.
I am disgusted in the senseless and limitless consumerism in America! Maybe there were not enough holidays in the calender year so the profit-slaves decided to invent a special day to buy, not as a generous gift, or a thoughtful present. oh no, just to buy. To spend money on things people don't need with money they likely do not have. Is saving 50 bucks really worth the time you spend standing in line, (I mean both are spending)? I am from South Africa and when I came to states last year I received mixed views about this strange day. Friends told me; "you better wake early, it is so exciting, you get the best deals and if you go with a good group of friends it is just so fun." I thought cool, I will be there, ready to feel like I got the best deal possible and in some strange way to feel as if I cheated the producer out of some of my hard earned cash. Then I spoke to my coach;( a slightly older gentlemen) "Tomorrow is the worst day of the year- make sure you stay far away from any human life form or human built shopping structure!" Who's advice did I choose? Lets just say I bought a sweet digital camera for a steal! I confess to be just a little bit of a hypocrite.
I agree whole-heartedly (sorry, lame word) that the consumerism in America is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. However, I almost think Black Friday is a somewhat good thing . . . somewhat. I mean, at least people are actually trying to save on spending. It's not a sin to buy nice things, and it is always a good idea to get good deals on those things you purchase. But like many things, it should be done in moderation. Any purchases that overextend consumers' budgets should be discouraged.
I think it has a lot to do with the fact that those kind of sales are designed to make you feel like if you don't go that day or that early in the morning, you are going to be missing out on an incredible deal. And as much as we love to buy things, we also love to get good deals on things, or at least think we are.
American consumerism is continually on the increase, but the example of Black Friday proves that Americans aren't simply "mindless" consumers.
Within the consumer culture, American still look for opportunities to get more for less. Black Friday is a busy day because there are so many sales, it isn't every day that you see that same number of crazed shoppers trying to buy all they can.
Also, you cannot gauge American consumerism by the amount of purchasing that is done during the holiday seasons. I agree that consumerism is on the rise, but maybe not a drastically as we think
I think this is a great question. I myself have fallen victim to this phenomenon. I have also been on the retail side of black friday and have seen how vicious people can get over some sweet deals. It seems as though people are willing to abandon any and all forms of kindness to otehrs in order to get the things that they think they need or want the most. I agree with Bryson's comment though that black friday is not the worst thing because it's true to some extent that people are saving money (even if it's just so they can buy more things). My biggest issue is how horribly people are willing to treat others just to get the things they want.
Why am I one of these American consumers that so selfishly only thinks of them self and where they can get what they want for the best price? Perhaps it is so i can fit in with all the others around me. I believe what drives us to consume are the other consumers. The only question is where does it start.
I was in California last Thanksgiving with my wife's family. We had a family dinner, and my wife's sister took a look through the ads. She needed a new laptop computer for school, and considered getting up at 4 AM to get one she normally couldn't afford.
That's fine I think, better to get it on sale. But what we discovered was that hundreds (100s) of people had decided to forgo Thanksgiving in favor of being first in line for that laptop. The lines started at 4AM on Thanksgiving Day, and persisted for 24 hours.
People actually skipped their family holiday in favor of a great deal. At that point, this is no longer OK.
Every time i participate in black friday, I get to the store and think "Why am I here?" I've never been one to want the newest gadgets (I hated furbies and tickle-me-elmo's as a child), but it's just about being a part of something that brings me to that store. I guess it can be seen as a rite of passage in our culture, sad as it is.
I am in agreement about records being able to continually be broken. There is a scene in the move "The Holiday", when the old man, a former film writer talk about a time when there were 2 or 3 movie releases a month as opposed to each week. Sales records, sold out shows happen more frequently, yet there are so many more now than there ever have been. Consumption is growing so large, that these demands can continually be met and records continually broken.
It seems this American consumerism is not much more than a competition to see who can get what first. Some just have to be the first to buy the coolest new toy, and all their little friends can come to that person's house to play with it. And then companies keep coming up with updated versions to keep customers coming back to purchase them and make more and more money. Then the whole cycle starts all over again. Maybe I'm out of the norm, but I don't care too much to consume new cool products all the time. I have never stood in line hours or days to buy one of the first to buy a new product. I buy things when I can afford them, and when it's convenient.
I do find that I suffer from the "Disneyland" syndrome, meaning that I will wait in line for things just for the sake of waiting. I'll wait in line for movies, rides, or phones as was the case earlier this Summer. I want to be the first to experience something, or be able to relive it as often as possible. I haven't gotten into the day after Thanksgiving shopping yet, but that's generally because I most likely already have acquired the product and don't like to wait around for sales.
This reminds me of the day when the Iphone came out. People got in line for days before to be the first ones to get that new gadget. And the next thing you know, a year later, people went through the queuing up again for the new release of the Iphone 3G. Who knows if it isn't the same next time Apple releases a new products?
I've never gone shopping on Black Friday and so it's hard for me to complete relate to all of this. However, I have had many friends that get up early and go out and do the whole stand in line thing. But from what I gathered from them was that it was more out of tradition and fun than to really go out and buy anything.
Having said that I think that America is very "shop-happy" and I do think that we can be taken advantage of during the holiday seasons because of our want to get the next best thing.
Alright, I will admit that I don't completely agree. Black Friday has always been a holiday to me and I will definitely say that am an active participant every year. But that doesn't mean that I am an over zealous consumer who has no idea how to be thrifty. I go shopping that morning because I am a cheapskate. I know several people who are like this. They like to find good deals. I only buy things (with my college budget) that I need. Although I agree that many Americans get carried away with spending that morning, I would also like to add that not everyone shopping on Black Friday is like that. It's not a horrible thing to go shopping and purchase a large quantity of things that you need on sale, and save them for throughout the year. In my opinion, that is the smartest way to go. So yes, there is a huge consumer rate the day after thanksgiving, but that doesn't mean those people always spend that amount every other day of the year. It's not bad to want to buy something on sale. I believe it would be a problem, however, if we had black Fridays every weekend.
I don’t think we will ever say that is enough. This past “black Friday” was my first. Will I ever do it again? No! But was that flat screen TV worth it? Probably. What is it that makes us go do this!? I even had the special opportunity to watch two grown men fight over speakers! Why do we do it? Is it just an excuse to go buy things we normally couldn’t afford or need? I know that I wouldn’t have bought that TV if I didn’t get the deal I got, so I guess I fell into the advertisers trick! It is ludicrous!
I must admit that I have been a victim in this social phenomenon! Last year I was vising family, and all of my aunts and cousins decided it would be fun if we woke up at 3 AM to wait in line at the Coach store (for 5 hours). As much as I adore coach bags, I enjoy my sleep much more! Needless to say, we were pleased with our "less expensive" purses. Because Thanksgiving is the holiday right before Christmas, many people take this opportunity to buy all of their gifts for less money. However, as consumers we need to be careful not to overspend just because a trendy object is on sale! Happy Holiday shopping everyone!
I'm one of those bumbs who can't get up early enough to participate in this black friday experience. I think that this event is a great illustration of the american consumer behaviors. The newest and the greatest products must be ours, and we need them first. Veruca Salt, from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory represented the up and coming consumer generation when she said, "Don't care how, I want it now!"
I have never been one for the Black Friday sales, waking up at the crack of dawn has never been appealing to me, but I have been dragged out to stand in line with friends who are thrilled to snatch up a pair of shoes that are on sale. It is so easy to get caught up in the idea of having the newest, best thing and often we go to extreme measures to be the first to have the cool new thing. This is what Thanksgiving sales are all about, but until we as consumers realize that life is not all about money and material possessions we will continue to wake up at 4 a.m to get what others say we should have.
I think it's a perfect storm that erupts from when our instant gratification neurons are confronted with the words "limited time offer". Sure we could wait and extra couple of months and get the same flat screen tv for the same price, because of advances in technology will have brought the price down, but we want what we want now. I don't think this is a bad thing, because it's this mentality that keeps us buying things we don't necessarily need and putting money back into the economy and trickling back to our salaries.
I admit that I have definitely been apart of this crazy holiday consumerism many times. I've actually had some pretty good family bonding experiences waiting in these long lines. It's so funny how we go to such extremes to buy things that really aren't that much cheaper than the regular prices. I was thinking about it, and it seems to me that America just loves a good deal, and will do just about anything to get one. And I think that part of this whole concept is in the bragging rights...realizing you got a better deal than someone you know. It's a sense of feeling like you were a wise consumer, even if to get that way you end up buying things you really didn't need in the first place.
Truly one of Boris Karloff's greatest pictures. Even now the thought of that squishy brain gives me the hebbie jeebies. Sixty-eight years later and the movie still gives me the creeps.
What? We're talking about the "Black Friday" after Thanksgiving?
Nevermind.
My brother and sister-in-law LOVE Black Friday; they get out of the house by 4am just to stand in lines that are completely stagnant for hours. They come back so pleased with themselves for getting a couple of movies for a good price. I always wonder how that can be worth their time, but it seems like half of the excitement comes from the thrill of a great deal and the other half comes from being part of such a huge rush. It is like the adrenaline starts pumping when there is a good deal in sight and everyone feeds off each other's energy. I know that that is why I would go to a midnight showing of a movie or a Harry Potter party- it feels good to feel like you've got an edge over every one else because you were brave enough to face the crowds.
Maybe the Holiday Shopping craze isn't as bad as we think. People are getting up before the sun to purchase holiday items for the ones they love!
Wait, that can't be right. We get up at these hours so we can be the ones who bought the best gift for our family and friends. What are our real intentions?
Oh, dear Black Friday. It's very name denotes something dreary, dark and negative. I once told a foreigner about the day and how I didn't want to work that day and they thought it was a terrorist related day. Odd, I know, but it's funny how it sounds to an outsider. I for one love the Holiday (consumer) Spirit... Sadly, shopping, trees and Santa Claus have become the things we focus on and for me Black Friday is an essential part of our nation, although it is clearly an example of the absurd lengths consumerism has gone to. I've never done a pre 7am wake-up for shopping thank goodness, but think if you get a deal that saves you over a $100 then it's worth it. The malls are so crowded that day, even when you sleep in until 10 like I did then you can still go and feel that buzz. I have fond memories of going to the mall on such days with my family, and fighting for an hour to get a table at the food court, or squeezing down the aisles in KB Toys.
On the plus side, retailers are reliant on this day to infuse their bottom line. With our sluggish economy, we can only hope Americans will be able to flock to Best Buy yet again in 2008 to give our economy a boost. Consumerism is consuming America, but on this day I say "Give in!" (But only if you don't miss Thanksgiving festivities!)
It truely is a crazy thing... that black friday. While I do think that some people don't know how to spend and manage their funds and credit, events like Black Friday that promote consumer spending is what drives the economy of America. I worked at Best Buy a few summers ago and everyone from the Home Theater Department to my little whole in the store warehouse, everyone would share their Black Friday stories just as old war veterans show off their "scars they got in 'nam". This impressed me because no one in the store would get a minute of sleep, but they were working. Without consumer spending, all those people would be without jobs. Our economy is hurting now, but if we were to stop spending, jobs would be lost, thus hurting production... and thus hurting our economy... So as we throw down the gavel of judgements about American spending, remember that it is that spending that keeps our economy afloat.
America is a consumer-based country. Americans consume more than people in other countries do. With respect to this, if they are going to get more at a cheaper price (even if it is just by a couple of dollars), why not? It is sad to see that holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas are turning out to be more about receiving than giving, and that people are willing to miss these festive days just to wait in line for a product.
i'm the same way. when that thanksgiving day paper arrives, i'm all about it. i think one of the reasons why we buy new things is because it makes us feel good. i think today's world can bring us so much unhappiness, and by purchasing items, we can feel better about life because our life now consists of a new car, outfit, or iPhone.
My family has always been a big fan of black Friday. My sisters in law finish all of their Christmas shopping in one day, my Father buys all of the electronics he has been dreaming about for the past year and my mother gets all of our expensive gifts out of the way. Black Friday can be a big money saver, or it can be a waste of time. Lets do the math. If I make $12 an hour and I want to buy a dell laptop on black Friday that is $50 cheaper than normal, and I wait in a line outside the store for four hours, then another hour at the register, I have actually lost $10. Black Friday is a waste unless we save more than we could have made.
I hate shopping on Black Friday or Christmas Eve or any time stores are packed with people shopping for deals. I think it has something to do with the mass consumerism aura that floats around shopping malls especially at that time of year. Not that I have a big problem with consumerism. But all those people crammed into one place, fighting for luxuries like their lives depend on it - I guess it just makes me nervous that too many people have their priorities backwards.
i somehow get the vibe that you think consumerism is ridiculous and the beginning of the end of an intelligant society. it's kind of a downer on how you put things. But in all honesty, your examples point towards a soceity treats consumerism as an event. Waiting in line, the anticipation, the crowded stores is a event which people can feel like they're being apart of something bigger than themseles. chew on that.
I must shamefully admit that I had my first black Friday experience last Thanksgiving. I stayed up all night to be a Wal-Mart (yes, Wal-Mart) at 5 a.m. to go shopping. It was basically ridiculous. I also ended up only buying one movie that was not even on sale. I think a lot of times we as consumers just go to sales and buy things just because it's on sale. Even if we don't necessarily need it we want it because it is cheap and advertisers are telling us we should want it.
I love the fact that we as Americans are consumers, that what makes us who we are and keeps us progressing as a Nation. Its interesting to see the difference of certain skills between generations, for example my parents mowed their lawns and cleaned their pools but now my brothers have gardener's and pool cleaners. It comes with americans being more busy and the evolving lifestyles of us, their is now a service for everything.
I think Black Friday and holiday shopping gives us that final excuse to buy whatever we have been coveting. As you said, Americans are very consumer based and have to have what they want when they want it. Notice I didn't say need because many times I have noticed myself that I don't particularly need an item but will almost treat it like it's a necessity to acquire it. I think it is a very weird phenomenon that people will line up days before a huge sale simple to get $50 or less knocked off the price but it is an indicator of our consuming behavior. It is out of control!
when i read this my dad immediately came to mind.
you couldnt pay him to go to the mall. literally.
at christmastime he buys all his gifts either online or at the local sporting goods store.
but on black friday he is up at the crack of dawn with the rest of them. for him it is purely the adrenaline of the competition. hes usually done by 9 or 10 in the am. because by then all the competitiveness has lost its edge.
i think a lot of people get caught up in the competition of life. but sometimes competition is what makes life exciting (michael phelps)
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