After a day of food, family, and giving thanks, millions of people hoping to score great deals will crawl out of bed in the middle of the night to stand in the cold while waiting for stores to open. Then the shoppers will race through crowded stores where they may be pushed and shoved by people all trying to grab the same items, before they stand in long lines to complete their purchase. Many consumers will get to the store only to find the demand for the product they wanted was so high the product is out of stock.
This coming Friday is Black Friday, one of the busiest shopping days of the year in the U.S. and the day that marks the beginning of the holiday shopping season. Although dealing with sold out products and mobs of people at 4AM isn’t most people’s idea of fun, and I personally hear complaints about the shopping experience on Black Friday from friends and family each year, people are still eagerly awaiting the day. In fact, according to research from the National Retail Federation, 77 million U.S. consumers say they are definitely planning to shop in stores on Black Friday and an additional 74 million consumers might go shopping, depending on the sales offered.
The choice seems to be not if we shop on Black Friday, but how we shop. Online shopping has become increasingly popular in the U.S. and is growing rapidly with forecasted growth of 16% in 2011, according to Forrester. Online shopping offers the comfort and convenience of shopping from your home but many customers still prefer in-store shopping for personal service, expert opinions from employees, and the store atmosphere, not to mention instant gratification and no shipping fees.
While I agree with the benefits of in-store shopping in general and enjoy shopping in-stores more than online, I do not see the in-store benefits applying to Black Friday where the shopping atmosphere is competitive and chaotic and there is little chance to ask the frazzled employees for advice or opinions. I have never been a big Black Friday shopper but in my opinion online Black Friday shopping seems like a much more attractive option than traditional in-store shopping. Many retailers offer the same or similar Black Friday deals online. The sales online often extend from before Black Friday through Cyber Monday, the Monday after Thanksgiving, and frequently include free shipping. Shopping for Black Friday deals online would allow people to avoid the chaos in the stores and to spend more time celebrating Thanksgiving weekend with friends and family. This year many stores are extending their Black Friday hours and opening at midnight Thursday, which may be an attempt to be more convenient for customers and compete with longer running online Black Friday sales.
With the option to shop online for Black Friday deals looming, why are millions of Americans still planning to brave the crowds and chaos for Black Friday shopping? Although people complain about how packed the stores are and about the lack of products available, do they secretly enjoy the experience? I believe many people enjoy the tradition of Black Friday shopping and feel it is an integral part of Thanksgiving and is as traditional as turkey, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce. Online shopping might be easier but doesn’t allow for bonding with the people you shop with or for humorous stories to tell later.
Are you or your families planning a Black Friday in-store shopping trip? Do you prefer in-store or online deals? Do you think in-store Black Friday shopping will end in the near future as online shopping becomes more popular or do you think the tradition is here to stay?
Claire Dunn
I think that going to the stores for Black Friday deals is very hectic. Not only do you have to wait in long lines outside of the store, but then you have to fight your way inside to find what you want. Instead of dealing with the chaos, I would much rather prefer to do my shopping online and find products that way. I may have to pay a little extra for shipping, but I do get to sleep and not worry about a fistfight over an iPad!
ReplyDeleteI remember last year when I was shopping for $200 42 inches TV on Black Friday. My friends and I went to the Target on university parkway around 11pm to get in line; however, after waiting for couple hours, the length of the line stayed almost same. So, instead of waiting longer, we just came back to campus and decided to shop online. I would have to agree that online-Black Friday sales are much more efficient and also profitable for the companies
ReplyDeleteI think the key reasons why people go out to the stores on Black Friday are either because (a) they believe it is a festive way to start the holiday season or (b) the cost savings are more crucial to them. This being said, these people that go into the stores for the absolute best deals, no shipping, or just go to the stores for the experience. I think this will not change unless online shopping can somehow cut prices even lower, which seems doubtful.
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