Black Friday certainly should be named as Discount Day. The shopping phenomenon has spread from the US and is now a highly anticipated event UK and the rest of the world.
Where did Black Friday come from?
It is traditionally the day which follows Thanksgiving in America and is regarded as the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. Americans have Thanksgiving Day off and the next day, so usually people celebrating this holiday will have four days free to shop. Recent years have seen retailers stay open longer or open earlier with special deals to entice customers. The idea has now spread across the world with many other countries also participating in the day, or week, of shopping.
Many shops release details of their sale items before the day, so there are plenty of ways to bag the best deals. The trick is to be prepared and organised and to always know what you want before the sales start – to avoid unnecessary spending.
Worst Black Friday Violence
Black Friday crowds hunting bargains still give the police headaches. In 2016, three people were shot in separate mall incidents in New Jersey, Nevada, and Tennessee. The New Jersey man died from his wounds.
Who can forget the fight break out at Asda as shoppers descend on Black Friday deals, shoppers desperate for bargains caused chaos in Asda store, people were trampled and fights broke out as deal hunters became over excited by the savings. As a result the supermarket giant no longer takes part in the Black Friday event.
What turns ordinary shoppers into dangerous mobs? Social scientists and psychologists are trying to find out.
The consumer demand behind Black Friday is being fuelled by hype generated by the media and the retail sector? Share your experiences of Black Friday...
Thanks