What Is Black Friday All About

By Nea Brown


In the USA, the day after Thanksgiving bears the name Black Friday. What is Black Friday and what does it represent? It is the first day of Christmas shopping. To mark this, stores usually discount goods to get the season going. In recent years, shops have opened their doors earlier than normal to profit as much as possible and add a dose of hype.

The origin of the name Black Friday has several explanations. Commentators have suggested that it is the day when retailers make most profit, so are "in the black". Academics report that the name derives from the Philadelphia Police. In that city, the first Christmas shopping day coincides with the annual Army vs Navy college football game. Traffic is therefore terrible and people flood the streets. The result is several accidents and a difficult day for the police force.

In the last ten years, this day has become the highest volume day for retailers. Bargain hunters form crowds outside entrances in an effort to find a great deal. Employers often allow staff to leave early to go shopping. Some even give their workers the entire day. In recent years, the definition of early has gone to the limit. Many stores start business at 4 a. M. Other have actually opened their doors at midnight.

The early opening times have captured the public's imagination and many people line up outside the entrance to be one of the first. As this has become increasingly popular, people arrive ever earlier to get a good spot. Today, people often spend hours waiting for the store to open its doors.

With the large number of shoppers waiting outside, many safety issues are raised. There is a significant risk of a crush when the doors open, so the entrance has to be well monitored. The whole event has to be well stewarded by security or police to make sure order is kept. Paramedics should be quickly available in event of people falling ill, especially those waiting overnight.

The day after Thanksgiving can be a rewarding experience for both shoppers and stores. It is now marked down on the American calendar and it is clearly popular. Today, stores make the highest number of sales on this day. Nonetheless, it is vital that the day is well-organized. Any timing issues, machine failures or insufficient stock can frustrate and thus make for an ugly scene among shoppers.

Sales are put on by most stores on this day. It is therefore crucial to have strong advertising. Commercials should be shown on local TV stations, as well as on the internet. Prices should be lowered heavily on a small number of items, along with slightly lower reductions on a large number of goods. Promotions could also be created in response to the local weather. For instance, if a store in a cold city opens at midnight, it could offer free soup to those in line.

Ads could highlight the efficiency of the store on the day. The headline could be What Is Black Friday To You?, and show a chaotic local nameless store. Then it could show the calmness of the advertised store. It could be aired on TV and viral version online.




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