When did it become tradition to make everything on sale the day after Thanksgiving and have all the stores open insanely early to accommodate all the crazy shoppers who get up at six in the morning? and then why is it called black Friday?
The cultural idea was that Christmas/winter holiday shopping begins the day after Thanksgiving. That's sort of an odd juxtaposition: a day of thanks followed by a season of greed. What better day for stores to offer insane deals for extended hours? The reason for the "Black" moniker is business management tradition: profit margins are written in black and deficits in red. Companies are put "in the black" on that day because of the shopping frenzies.
I have to admit it gets pretty insane. Remember a few years ago when people were getting shot for their PS3's because they were new and over $500? There are always those who can't afford new stuff but insist on having it, and would rather take the six-shooter discount. Not to mention the stories of people getting trampled under foot by crazy shopper mobs! I hope this year isn't too bad.
The cultural idea was that Christmas/winter holiday shopping begins the day after Thanksgiving. That's sort of an odd juxtaposition: a day of thanks followed by a season of greed. What better day for stores to offer insane deals for extended hours? The reason for the "Black" moniker is business management tradition: profit margins are written in black and deficits in red. Companies are put "in the black" on that day because of the shopping frenzies.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit it gets pretty insane. Remember a few years ago when people were getting shot for their PS3's because they were new and over $500? There are always those who can't afford new stuff but insist on having it, and would rather take the six-shooter discount. Not to mention the stories of people getting trampled under foot by crazy shopper mobs! I hope this year isn't too bad.