Running Head: Black Friday Consumer Behavior on Black Friday Abstract The purpose of this research is to examine consumer behavior on Black Friday. Black Friday is typically the busiest shopping day of the year, and it is all driven by the chance for consumers to save the most amount of money possible while getting their holiday shopping done. Research was done online, and also through personal experiences. By understanding what retailers and consumers hope to accomplish on this day can have a positive impact on everyone. Consumers are able to get what they want with the least amount of turmoil, and retailers are able to turn a profit. This research can be most helpful to merchants, as it will help them to understand what a consumer …show more content…
Attitudes People may get caught up in the excitement of the day, and that can help them to spend even more money. While waiting in line, customers at the front of the line seem to be excited and happy. However, at the end of the line, customers appear to be more frustrated and anxious. Some consumers plan their Black Friday shopping trips weeks in advance. There are many websites available for people to view Black Friday advertisements online, before they are supposed to be released to the public. Walmart has tried year after year for the advertisements not to be leaked, but they usually end up on these websites before they are supposed to (4 Years Strong: Walmart Sends Another Cease & Desist, 2011). Stores may not want to have their advertisements released early for a couple of reasons. First, consumers having the ability to research products and having too much time to explore all of their options may mean that consumers will not make as many spontaneous purchases on Black Friday. They also do not want to have their competition see their deals, and then have them beat their prices. Having the advertisements earlier though means consumers are able to plan what stores they want to go to, which may lead to less chaos on the actual day. People are motivated by saving money on Black Friday. Some consumers may even see it as a competition. For some, because there is only a limited selection available for many of the items that are
Black Friday shopping is a controversial issue in the United States; while many believe the day after Thanksgiving is a part of holiday festivities, others view it as destructive. Throughout “Black Friday: Consumerism Minus Civilization,” Andrew Leonard argues that the chaos of Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving in which crowds of Americans shop all night for extremely low prices, lessens the sophistication of Americans and the true meaning of the holidays. People become so consumed in the idea of endless sale prices that they forget to embrace what they already have, such as family, food, and shelter. He believes that Black Friday shopping has become out of control and describes the negative effects of excessive consumerism. he explains how most consumers act completely insane while Black Friday shopping and how society encourages this behavior by creating commercials and advertisements. Furthermore, Leonard states that it hurts the economy and damages one’s mental health. While Leonard is probably wrong when he claims that Black Friday shopping is completely troublesome to America’s well-being, he is right that consumerism overpowers the true significance of Thanksgiving.
Around the holidays, the department stores steps up is discount game even more. The Kohl’s Black Friday sale is actually a shopping extravaganza that begins before Thanksgiving and lasts after the Biggest Shopping Day of the Year.
Andrew Leonard's "Black Friday: Consumerism Minus Civilization" argues that the Black Friday shopping spree has begun to get out of hand in the previous years. Leonard explains that consumerism is a great thing for America, but showing Americans that it is okay to go crazy when shopping for deals is not the way to approach the buying markets. He mentions a Target advertisement and states that, "The Crazy Target Lady is not a joke. Watch her cannibalize her gingerbread man, or strategize her reverse psychology shopping techniques... she is America. She might be a lunatic, but it's a culturally approved lunacy" (Leonard 166). The author emphasizes how Americans embrace the acts of the target lady as funny and amusing, but during Black Friday shopping, some shoppers will take the night to the extreme like the advertisement does. He does remind us that there is light at the end of the tunnel, by reporting how shoppers are seeing the problems with the night of crazy shopping. I agree with Leonard that there are problems with Black Friday ads, and that consumers are realizing Black Friday shopping is taking away from Thanksgiving.
Quindlen starts her essay by stating that at a Wal-Mart in Valley Stream, New York, a worker was trampled to death by a horde of excited shoppers during Black Friday; the day after Thanksgiving when stores hold massive sales for the holiday season (Par. 2). She then goes on to talk about credit card debt and gives various examples of people buying different versions of items they
Amidst the turmoil following the destructive First World War, some nations struggled to rebuild and prosper. Many countries signed treaties which marginalized and polarized others. This created important opposing narratives created through distrust and misunderstanding allowed fear to pervade, affecting the entire world. Germany, Italy and Japan all emerged with fascist regimes because of their economic situation and slights inflicted on them by other greater powers.
As a shopper, having sales on Thanksgiving would give shoppers more chance to get a good deal. Having sales on Thanksgiving would give the shopper an extra day to get what they want for a price they like. Some people say that thanksgiving sales would rob people of their holiday, but I remind you that the decision to shop is optional. Having sales an extra day would only give the shoppers a advantage, not the people
In recent years, fewer people have been shopping outside (about 74 million in 2015 compared to 85 million in 2011), but the number is still large enough to pose a threat to the environment and retail worker happiness (TheBalance). Since there are people who will shop on Black Friday regardless, Buy Nothing Day may not be a permanent solution to overconsumption, but it could be the first step. The Mall of America, one of the largest shopping malls in the country, closed its doors on Thanksgiving to allow time for employees to spend time with their families (CNBC). If other retail leaders follow this example, Buy Nothing Day can become a reality. The more people that participate in raising awareness, the more others will realize that an obsession with consumerism is not beneficial for the
I am glad you chose Black Friday for the topic of your post. Whenever I think of Black Friday, I cringe. I think using a relativist’s perspective is the easiest way to understand why Black Friday is so popular. Relativism asserts that an act can only be defined as deviant if the person witnessing the behavior believes that it is deviant (Adler & Adler, 2016). Deviance, in this example, is dependent on how you view Black Friday. For me, I see Black Friday as a day where all social norms disappear. For instance, common folkways like opening a door for someone, or waiting patiently in line becomes irrelevant. It is considered more normal to trample the person in front of you, and it is not unheard of to read that someone was shot over a “Tickle
1. What led UPS to pursue an integrated marketing communications approach? What was the promotional objective as it repositioned itself in the "synchronized commerce" marketspace?
The most recent major purchase made was during the Black Friday sales over the past Thanksgiving Holiday. The promotion was influential because while there wasn't anything that I necessarily needed, I was convinced to purchase items just because of the perception of making a deal. Like many others, the idea of saving money, even money that was never intended to be spent, is ideal enough to convince many people that they should head out into the crowds and craziness of Black Friday (Tuttle, 2017). Not only did we make major purchases, such as televisions, we also bout many smaller items as well.
How dangerous is it to shop on Black Friday? 4. How does Black Friday work? 5. What can people do to survive Black Friday?
Over the past few years, Black Friday sales across the nation have started earlier and earlier. These sales can potentially cut into what is more important: Thanksgiving. Black Friday sales started as early as 6pm in 2015. Will these sales start earlier next year? What about in a few years? This shopping frenzy is slowly replacing Thanksgiving traditions. All together, companies should be required to start at or later than 12am. Let Thanksgiving have its own day to celebrate with families and friends. Black Friday sales that start later have more benefits for both retailers and shoppers.
For my ethnography assignment, I choose to study the behaviors of people shopping in Best Buy on Black Friday at the King of Prussia Mall (KOP). This file assignment is to participate and to observe the anthropological concepts usages in American rituals. Since I did not have the chance to meet with my family members, who live in Indiana, I choose to participate in the modern tradition of Thanksgiving- shopping. Moreover, one of my friends decided she want to experience the spirit and the heat of Black Friday by lining up outside a retile store beforehand she was then kind enough to take me with him. After searching online with all the Black Friday sale advertisements, she figured that Best Buy offers the best deal and
The point of sale assessment depends on the consumer’s perceived shopping motives. Shopping motivation represents a fairly mature reach of research. Many retailers consider smart shopping comprises high sensitivity on process. Smart shoppers are always keen on getting a discount. Shopping on Black Friday is the consumer’s motivation. It gives them the excitement of the game. (look for competitive) Its part of the mystique, shoppers can celebrate their ability to get the best deals.
The impulse to invest time and energy on products that a person does not really need at the time, solely based on a mesmerizing discounted offer, has become distressing. The tempting offers have grown since consumers have been offered an extended opportunity to shop. Advertisements announce stores will begin to extend their hours to purchase more economical priced products to commence on Thanksgiving Day. Consumers cannot resist the urge to wait in endless lines for a few items displayed for a decreased amount.