Black Friday, Yours or Theirs?
November 27, 2009 by: Dave Ozment
The Friday after Thanksgiving has long been called the single largest shopping day of the year. It is a perfect storm of availability, as many American’s enjoy the day away from work, and transition into the Christmas season.
Retailers have hyped us into believing that today is itself a shopping holiday. Early morning door busting openings and sales that once started at 7 or 8am are now launching at 4 or 5am. The scene is surreal as sales carnivores are whipped into such a frenzy that one door greeter was actually trampled to death at a WalMart in Long Island, NY last season. As inglorious a demise as I might venture to imagine.
But what message is actually being conveyed with our “Black Friday” branding? For all the intrigue and mystery the name invokes, its roots are pretty boring and basic accounting.
In this nomenclature, black represents profit just as red represents loss. Therefore, Black Friday suggests a day of great profitability in a sales season known to drive retailer profit/loss determinations for the entire calendar year.
And so think about that for a moment. We’ve explored previously the idea that retailers have keen interests in separating you from your money. How brazen then to so actively and collectively promote a day designed to their sustenance. To be sure, I am certainly more scrooge than your average host when it comes to the commercialization of our more purposeful holidays, but I am not categorically opposed to retail. Competitive retail is actually a principle tenant in my utopian vision, but so too are restraint and personal accountability. Therefore, proceed with caution if you elect to participate. Don’t let our merry retailers paint their books black while turning yours to red.
Photo By: Esther_G
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I’ve never been a big fan of Black Friday; I see it more as a negative than a positive. I’ve seen too many families whose poor spending habits go out on a financial limb due to their focus on gift giving without any thought to the repercussions. In my opinion, consumers finances definitely become “black” as a result.
Or “red” as the case may be…. I agree, spending without thinking is almost a sport in the country and it’s pretty sad to watch it playout.
Thanks for commenting Paula!
Dave
I didn’t actually realise that the black referred to profitability, always wondered by it was called that. Previously I couldn’t figure out why such a negative association was made with such a big shopping day, but now that makes sense
Hey Jonathan. in researching the naming, I found that there were multiple origins including those steeped in negativity which suggest an origin from the actual store employees. But the tie-back to profitability has been in play for many many years and for most retailers it’s pretty true. In modern times many stores advertise “door buster” deals to lure in shoppers but then only allow for such a small quantities to be sold at those prices that I consider the “blacK” to be a metaphor for the retailers playing the role of the bad guys.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Dave