Re: Is "Black Friday" dead?

dex · ‎03-09-2010

I didn't see any great deals in all of the Flyers that we received.I think Black Friday is just all hype now.I can find just as many great deals throughout the year and not experience the crowds and lines.I think for some people this is another tradition and fun with family and friends.I have never gone out on this day to shop but I did do Boxing Day in Canada which is the day after Christmas when everything used to be half priice.

Pearlee · ‎06-11-2011

@kdgn wrote:
I can vividly still remember the days when there was no sign of Christmas until the day after Thanksgiving. One didn't walk into a store and find remnants of Halloween on the shelves mixed in amongst the Thanksgiving and Christmas items. I actually looked forward to seeing the decorations back then. Now by the time Thanksgiving is over I'm a little tired of the displays.

Gosh I'm getting old......

@kdgnI was just saying this very same thing to someone yesterday in Talbot's. Talking about the good old pre-black-Friday days and said almost your identical words. I also added that it used to be nothing went on sale until after Xmas. Everything was full price for the people buying gifts. I even once dated a man who lamented that his mother was so thrifty that they never got gifts until after Xmas, so she could buy everything on sale.

SusieQ_2 · ‎03-27-2012

Is "Black Friday" dead?

I have no idea, but what I do know I've been bombarded with an onslaught of advertisements not only for Black Friday but, now, Black Saturday as well. None of them mentioned anything about a funeral so I guess I'd say no.

That being said, aren't B&M stores becoming less and less busy due to to on-line shopping, not only at holidays but, all year long? I think it has far more to do with that than any sort of backlash.

Danielle46 · ‎12-26-2011

I don't think Black Friday is over. I'm a New Yorker and the stores are crazy here on Black Friday. As far as Black Friday into the weekend sales are concerned, they are great. You can find anywhere between 25% to 50% off regular priced merchandise in the mid and high end stores and on their respective websites. I shoped at one yesterday and it was 50% off your "first" purchase and 40% of the remaining entire purchase of regular priced current merchandise. Some that have 25% off are all having surprise sales at the same time. I'm always very pleased with the deals at this time of year.

CelticCrafter · ‎03-09-2010

My husband loved Black Friday shopping and once we were sure she was old enough to not get hurt, he started taking our daughter with him. It's been their "thing" for probably the last 15 years or so. Last year she took a vacation day from work to be able to go with him. She was living and working in Maryland at that time.

They did it yesterday, but I could tell it just didn't have the same appeal as in years past because of the stores opening on Thursday night.

If they do it next year, I think it will only be because its their tradition.

chrystaltree · ‎05-10-2010

The term Black Friday lives but the concept died out years ago. Most retailers started their Christmas sales in September, calling them pre Black Friday. Silly retailers......lol

So, yesterday's sales weren't any better than what we've been seeing for weeks. As usual, the biggest markdowns will be a week before Christmas.

MarthaStewardess · ‎03-09-2010

I don't think it's dead at all. I think that expanding the hours has helped spread out the crowds a lot. I went out at 6pm Thanksgiving night, again Friday afternoon and plan on going over to Kohl's this afternoon. I've never experienced any horror stories that some seem to think what Black Friday is about. My mom and I have kind of made it our tradition to go out shopping then. Judging by what I heard and saw out Thursday night, a lot of other people feel the same. Lots of families and groups of people. Looks like they found lots of great deals like I did.

gardenman · ‎03-09-2010

@kdgn wrote:
I can vividly still remember the days when there was no sign of Christmas until the day after Thanksgiving. One didn't walk into a store and find remnants of Halloween on the shelves mixed in amongst the Thanksgiving and Christmas items. I actually looked forward to seeing the decorations back then. Now by the time Thanksgiving is over I'm a little tired of the displays.

Gosh I'm getting old......

I'm 57 years old and there were two department stores in Delaware (Almart) that would start putting out their Christmas stuff right after the Fourth of July. They had a big end of summer sale that concluded on the fourth and then they'd pack up any unsold summer stuff and replace it with the Christmas offerings. By the midpoint of July they'd have a fully stocked and set up Christmas section. I think it depends on where you live but locally, even fifty plus years ago, Christmas stuff would come out as early as the Fourth of July.

If anything the mountains of back to school stuff and Halloween decorations have pushed back the deployment of Christmas stuff locally. Back to school stuff and Halloween stuff now take over for summer merchandise where earlier it was Christmas stuff that came in.

Fly!!! Eagles!!! Fly!!!

sgraham30 · ‎03-14-2010

@Zhills wrote:
When Black Friday started you only had B&M stores. Today you can go to any store online and purchase the same items, at the same prices that are sold in the B&M so why fight the crowd. Sales were not down, foot traffic was down! Some people enjoy shopping but some do not.

One year I went to 4 different stores (same chain) trying to find size 14 GV jeans. Only 1 store had them. Came home; went online for the same store; bought 3 pair. Piece of cake! Learned my lesson about B&M.

Many stores have lower prices online than they do in the B&M stores. One that I can think of off the top of my head is Kohl's, who does not match their lower online prices if you happen to be in the store. Barnes & Noble is the same way (doesn't match their own onine prices) . Toys R'Us too, but they're willing to match their online prices in the B&M store.

KarenQVC · ‎05-13-2010

I agree you can get good sales online and that is what I do. I seldom go to a store. I don't shop local just to shop local. It is the job of the businesses to prove they are better than online and they haven't convinced me.