Once known as one of the most pinnacle days of the year, Black Friday has now faded to antiquation. The era of “doorbuster” deals and long lines are now closing as retailers have adjusted to consumer habits. Early sales, online marketing and discount codes are no longer a thing of the future. The dominance of Black Friday is questioned, as Cyber Monday takes the spotlight.
Over the past decade, consumerism has taken control of Americans’ lives. As the holidays begin, the search for the perfect deals does too, but the landscape of holiday shopping has changed dramatically. The idea of waking up at 4 a.m. and standing in a long, crowded line is no longer convenient. It is more practical to stay home, on a computer, waiting for the product to drop.
The growing trend of Cyber-Weekend allows shoppers to browse online without going in-store, even offering early sales. Because of the decrease in in-person shoppers, retailers have switched to prolonging deals throughout the weekend.
Online stores, such as Amazon, Walmart and Apple, have experienced a great increase in shoppers through their online resources. By offering the same products online, the amount of money spent reached a record high of $10.7 billion.
The long-awaited exclusive Taylor Swift products, including the Eras Tour Book, The Tortured Poets Department: Anthology CD and vinyl, are still in stock at selective stores. However, when the products dropped online they sold out within hours.
Black Friday, once known as a cornerstone event, invited shoppers to look for steep discounts in-store. However, the rise of online shopping has caused sales to extend throughout the weekend instead of just one day. As a result, Black Friday shifted from a one-day frenzy to a spread-out online shopping season. Because of this, the dynamics of discounts and sales have shifted, with deals released earlier and lasting longer.
As the significance of Black Friday seems to become obsolete, retailers are still keeping up with the new trends of shoppers, prepared to evolve to meet demands. Ultimately, the final curtain of Black Friday will not cause the death of holiday shopping, but create a new start to an era of online shoppers.
While it is sad to see the tradition of such an important retail day fade away, the future looks toward a more accessible and convenient way to shop. As flood malls and Big Box stores begin the transition, it is clear that retailers will adapt to the change. But one thing is clear: the prolonged day of deals, sales and lines will look very different from the traditional chaotic Black Friday frenzy.
