Anthony Hamilton
Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching, and with it, Black Friday, is approaching as well. For those of us in retail, it’s a blessing and a curse. It’s a blessing in the fact that stores generally make more money on this day than any other shopping day of the year, however, it’s a VERY long workday for employees. On my job, at least 12 hours is guaranteed, however I have put in as many as 16 hours on Black Friday in my previous job as Mall Security supervisor.
A lot of people camp out in cold weather for hours, hoping for the chance to get their hands on greatly discounted items either for themselves or Christmas gifts. The whole experience can go bad courtesy of one person not getting what they came early for. It can turn quickly into a mob mentality, and I’ve seen many people hauled off to jail early on that day because they were too late to get what they wanted.
Many participate in the bargain shopping on Black Friday, but are totally unaware of the history behind it. It’s been said that it goes all the way back to slavery, and there is strong documentation that proves it’s true, however, I will concentrate on more recent history in my discussion of Black Friday.
According to blackfridayhistory.com:
The term “Black Friday” was coined in the 1960s to mark the kickoff to the Christmas shopping season. “Black” refers to stores moving from the “red” to the “black,” back when accounting records were kept by hand, and red ink indicated a loss, and black a profit. Ever since the start of the modern Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1924, the Friday after Thanksgiving has been known as the unofficial start to a bustling holiday shopping season.
In the 1960s, police in Philadelphia griped about the congested streets, clogged with motorists and pedestrians, calling it “Black Friday.” In a non-retail sense, it also describes a financial crisis of 1869: a stock market catastrophe set off by gold spectators who tried and failed to corner the gold market, causing the market to collapse and stocks to plummet.
As retailers began to realize they could draw big crowds by discounting prices, Black Friday became the day to shop, even better than those last minute Christmas sales. Some retailers put their items up for sale on the morning of Thanksgiving, or email online specials to consumers days or weeks before the actual event. The most shopped for items are electronics and popular toys, as these may be the most drastically discounted. However, prices are slashed on everything from home furnishings to apparel.
Yes, the holidays are upon us once again, and 2016 is right around the corner.
Remember, also, during the Christmas season, safety becomes paramount. When shopping, make sure that any purchases are stored in the trunk, rather than in view of a potential thief. Attempt to shop in numbers so you don’t appear to be an easy victim. During walks from a store to a vehicle, always stay diligent, a potential criminal is not as likely to attack someone who appears vigilant. Hopefully everyone will be safe, and have a great shopping experience on Black Friday and beyond.
Personally, I am not really looking forward to dealing with the shopping mob. We will be open beginning on Thanksgiving Day, and right back to work early Black Friday morning. If we can have another day with customers on their best behavior like last year that will be great.