Why Black Friday Isn’t Black Fridaying

What happened to all the good deals?

POSTED 27.11.24 20:03 BY ANITA MOWETE

Black Friday used to be a staple of shopping. Every year, we would eagerly anticipate the deals and watch the chaos of people sprinting and scrambling to buy discounted goods.

But what was once a day of incredible deals has now stretched into a month of mediocre discounts. So, where did it all go wrong?

Black Friday is an American holiday typically observed the day after Thanksgiving. The idea was that, after celebrating with family, people could go out to the shops the next day to get a head start on their Christmas shopping.

Soon, this holiday spread internationally, even to countries where Thanksgiving isn’t celebrated. The draw of a day dedicated to shopping was simply that enticing.

But, as usual, the internet changed everything.

With online shopping becoming more prevalent, our relationship with Black Friday shifted. People no longer had to wake up early in the morning to get the best deals. Now, they could do all their shopping and queuing from the comfort of their own homes. Events like Cyber Monday also emerged, offering exclusively online deals.

But as major retailers observed the fervor for Black Friday, many realized they could achieve more while doing less. To be frank, no one is going out of their way to buy something for 20% off when that will soon become the regular price in a few months.

It is frustrating, but it’s not unexpected. The general public has been feeling the pinch for a few years. So, at a time when we’re being very particular about which non-essentials we buy, it’s disappointing. The deals we once loved seem more and more like a distant memory.

However, it’s not completely hopeless. Good deals are out there—you might just have to look a little harder.