For years, Black Friday brawls and rampant materialism on the day after Thanksgiving have become a sort of twisted American celebration. However, each year the excitement continues to die down as people reject the Black Friday antics and instead do their shopping online or on other days. According to a survey by the National Retail Federation, Black Friday attendance was down over 3%, from 58.7% last year to 55.1% this year.
The survey noted that the average shopper was expected to spend $380.95, which was down from $407.02 the previous year. According to the group’s estimates, sales slipped from $57.4 billion to $50.9 billion.
“A strengthening economy that changes consumers’ reliance on deep discounts, a highly competitive environment, early promotions, and the ability to shop 24/7 online all contributed to the shift witnessed this weekend,” NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay said in a statement.
People have begun to change how they feel about Black Friday, with some deciding to support local businesses instead of large corporations, and others deciding to take the day off. As we reported earlier this month, outdoor and sporting goods store REI gave their employees a paid day off on Black Friday, urging them to spend a day out in nature.
“Fewer visits on both days reinforce the trend we’ve seen throughout the year, in which shoppers are researching products ahead of time, targeting their store visits, and arriving in-store with the intention of making a purchase. The decrease in shopper visits on Thanksgiving Day also lends itself to the social backlash against store openings on the holiday,” Kevin Kearns, ShopperTrak chief revenue officer said.
While the culture is changing and things are headed in the right direction, there are sadly still enough people out there who are willing to get into fights with their neighbors over electronic products that they don’t need.
hahahaha what a bunch of morons…..
There are a bunch of sick puppies out there mary. 🙄
If the hordes of subhumans in this country will behave like that over deals on stupid consumer products, just imagine how they’ll react to a shortage of something they actually need, like food.
Spent a total of $15.99 on a reversible sweatshirt & a scarf. Christmas present for myself.
Had a total of ONE person in front of me at the cashier counter.
Brutal, eh? 🙄
I got me a little puppy, Boston Terrier, female, that’ll melt your heart so fast that she’ll you turn into a puddle of goo. 2 more weeks with mom and “signed, sealed, and delivered, I’m yours.”
Oh, boy! My Christmas present to myself. Narry a worry, I got plenty of lumps of coal for family.
We’ve got a big ‘ol kitty that literally ‘adopted’ us. He started coming around a few months ago and hanging out with us after dark until bedtime. After a few weeks of that, he started showing up first thing in the morning, and staying all day. He’s a real sweetheart – lap kitty, loves attention, goes to the door when he needs to go out, and then knocks when he wants back in. (yes, seriously). We thought at first that he belonged to one of the neighbors, but apparently not, since it appears he’s getting all his meals here.
Really glad he showed up. 🙂
When I lived in Elk Mound/Colfax, we had more than a few “strays” the wondered on the property.
When my daughter was young, she “busted” me takin’ care of some “critters” one day and I had to tell her that the critter jumped right in front of my bullet. What do you do? She understands now is not a homicidal maniac. lol
I don’t intend to be heartless, only to those who have declared me their enemy.
This year I have the radio on more than I have in the past. It seems every chance the announcer gets, he pushes black friday, then small business saturday, then cyber monday. The deals, the crowds, the brawls, the necessity to acquire stuff and spend money. It is incessant. The “Christmas” music no longer has anything to do with Christmas. Have you noticed this? Much more secularized. Or maybe it is just where I live.
Gun sales were UP!!!!!!!!!!!!
““A strengthening economy that changes consumers’ reliance on deep discounts, a highly competitive environment, early promotions, and the ability to shop 24/7 online all contributed to the shift witnessed this weekend,” NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay said in a statement.”
As always, they use the Internet or something else as an excuse, rather than just facing the truth and acknowledging that their corporation SUCKS, no one has any money and the stuff they have is the same shit EVERY STINKIN’ YEAR!!! No new innovations. Seriously, what do they expect? No one wants to buy something that they’ve already had and experienced over and over again, just like no one wants to see the same movie over and over again at a movie theater. It’s pointless and a waste of time and money.
As far as CyberMonday goes, it’ll do the exact same thing and then they’ll find some other excuse for their slump in sales on that day, too, like saying, “Well, it’s a Monday night and people just want to come home from their first day of work in the work week and relax. That’s why no one really shopped online this Monday.”
Just wait and see. They have an excuse and a script prepared for anything and everything.