Why you don’t really need the Black Friday shopping experience
Are you ready for Black Friday? On your marks. Get set. Go!
Following swiftly on the heels of Thanksgiving Day, Black Friday explodes like the bang from a track and field starter’s gun. The shot announces to one and all that the dash towards the Christmas shopping frenzy line has begun in earnest.
But, be warned, it’s not a race for the faint-hearted.
Where did Black Friday come from?
It’s said that the origins of the term Black Friday originated with Philadelphia’s finest — the city’s police department. According to some sources, the police force coined the term as a way of describing the havoc caused by massive traffic jams and ill-tempered crowds who were drawn to the city’s shopping district by stores offering hugely discounted prices. With Christmas just around the corner, the wily shoppers we’re fast out of the blocks.
That was back in 1966, and since then that frenzied dash has turned into a breakneck sprint. Unfortunately, the race isn’t always run in the most sporting of spirts and sometimes things have taken a turn for the worst.
It’s hard to fathom the statistics, but in the past 11 years 12 people have died violently and over 110 have been injured directly due to the violence of the Black Friday frenzy. It sounds more like a statistic from some far-flung battlefield than a day’s shopping.
As some anonymous wag recently quipped, ‘Because only in America, people trample others for sales, exactly one day after being thankful for what they already have.’
7 reasons why Black Friday may not be a good idea?
But, does Black Friday shopping offer great savings and great deals?
The fact is, Black Friday deals may not be as great as they first appear to be. There are several really good reasons for this.
#1 — How come they run out of stuff so quickly?
Wow! You’re going through the Black Friday advertisements and see one for an amazing value TV set. You’re going to save a small fortune. But be careful, and watch out for the dreaded small print detailing that the product in question will only be available in ‘limited supply’. It’s an old trick to lure the punters into the store in the hope that once the TVs are gone, the customer will opt for something else in its place.
#2 — Where are all the best brands gone?
You might be in the market for a new top of the range big-name TV set, but in reality, you might have to settle for a crappy inferior brand. This is mostly true of electronics such as laptops, TVs, white goods, and other electronic devices. Basically, you are exchanging quality for the notion of saving a few bucks.
#3 — Ooops! Did I really spend so much?
Overspending is another dire consequence of Black Friday binge shopping. It kind of defeats the whole purpose of shopping to save money only to end up spending more than you’d initially planned.
#4 — After Black Friday prices may continue to drop
There’s no firm guarantee that prices on Black Friday are as low as they’re going to get in the run-up to Christmas. Stores may further discount items as Christmas draws closer in an attempt to ‘clear the floors’ for stock arrivals in the new year.
#6 — Prices can be inflated for Black Friday
We’re not throwing any stones here, but it’s possible — and it does happen — that prices may be falsely inflated before Black Friday in order to show a discount on the big day. This is probably true of both Black Friday and Cyber Monday, so take care.
#7 — It can be really bad for your health
Employees and shoppers get trampled, strangers get shot or pepper-sprayed, people sustain serious injuries, shopping rage gets violent, and people even suffer from hypothermia, waiting overnight (or even for days) in sub-zero temperatures. Plus, you’re probably going to have to be up pretty early and be prepared for something akin to hand-to-hand combat if you want to bag those opening bargains.
How to change your Black Friday habits
If shopping is your reason-for-living then you’re probably not going to like the alternatives to splurging on the Black Friday sales. But, it might be worth thinking about.
There appears to be a growing movement of people who are no longer obsessed with the collection of possessions. They simply have had enough and want to focus on more meaningful pursuits in life. But, how are they going about making this change happen?
- Many people want to prolong the spirit of Thanksgiving and have chosen to spend their time with family and friends in a more meaningful way.
- Instead of battling the crowds take time out in nature.
- Use Black Friday to unclutter your home and donate your unwanted items to charity.
- If you must go shopping for Christmas gifts why not shop local and support the artists and artisans in your home community.
- If you have to give gifts think about the alternatives to material possessions. Gift companies like Tinggly give you the chance to give gift boxes filled with real-life experiences from all around the world.
- Get inventive and create another special meal from the Turkey Day leftovers. Invite some friends around, watch a movie, or dig out the collection of board games.
- Take some time to be creative, write, paint, or even plan to create your own hand-made Christmas gifts.
- Donate your time to a charitable organization.
- Actively help clean up the environment.
- Or, how about just spending some time on yourself, or by yourself. After the hectic run-up to Thanksgiving, Black Friday might be a good time to savor the quietness of your own company.
Doing Black Friday smarter not harder
If you must do Black Friday at least try to do it smarter.
Decide in advance just what it is that you want to buy, what your budget is, and most importantly, don’t overspend. Don’t let the madness become contagious, try to stay calm and not get caught up in the Friday fever that seems to engulf everyone at this time of year.
Also, try to think of gifts that will add value to the receiver’s life, whether that happens to be a series of art classes, a luxury spa treatment, an experience in nature, or a voucher for a museum, concert, or show. None of these gifts will clutter the home but will add value, memories, and stories to the recipient’s life.
Most importantly try to make Black Friday 2019 the turning point in how you celebrate your Thanksgiving Day weekends in the future. There’s more to life than collecting even more stuff than you’ll ever use or need.
Happy Holidays!
