Sometimes you just have to chuckle at America’s ways. Yesterday we celebrated Thanksgiving with all its somber tones of appreciation and respect. Today is Black Friday, where those very same Americans have been known to trample other shoppers at WalMart, to get to a good deal. Its as if some evil genius got worried that T-day and its reverence might just extend beyond the bird and stuffing, so they threw in a day of spending debauchery to counter the possibility.
No one knows exactly how crazy Americans will go today. COVID killed Black Friday last year. We do know that online sales have been cutting into actual store shopping in recent years. But to give you an idea of the magnitude of Black Friday consider this. America has about 300 million people (see this as potential shoppers). In 2020, the Black Friday weekend (you can’t do it all in one day) drew 166 million of them into its alluring arms. That’s down from 189 million the year before. Those fervent shoppers spent an average of $311 bucks each in 2020, down from $362 greenbacks in 2019. Contrast that whopping sum with online buying. In 2020 America spent $14 BILLION on T-day and Black Friday. Online sales during this period have been growing 20% each year for several years now. (https://blackfriday.com/news/black-friday-history)
For many retailers, the Christmas shopping season, which Black Friday kicks off, makes or breaks their entire year. This is particularly vexing now, because supply chains are still clogged from the pandemic and availability of those “must have’s” for the little darlings are questionable. The hunt is on for those top-of-the-list items and in their pursuit, normal human beings will turn into a herd of stampeding buffalo. After all, if they want it, it’s our moral and ethical responsibility to experience the thrill of victory and agony of defeat.
What are we willing to do bodily harm over? Well, anything with a chip in it is worth getting in line at 5am in front of Best Buy. On the toy side, Barbie’s still big, Lego rocks, a bevy of comic book and cartoon characters are running off the shelves and Dino’s rule. Be bold. Grab that last one out of that old lady’s arms. Your kid will be proud of you.
But don’t get too worked up if you have a spending fail here or there. Just around the weekend is (drum roll…..) CYBER MONDAY! Yep, Amazon strikes back. No matter they’ve been doing Black Friday sales all month. CM will be better! Which makes you think that maybe they’ve been holding out on the really rock-bottom prices? So, save some room on that credit card limit and keep your eyes glued to those pop-up computer ads. You don’t want to be the one that didn’t get the memo!
This is what I love about my country. Our shamelessness. Our shallowness. Our gullibility. Our childish glee at excess. Our no-holds-barred approach to the insignificant things in life. In case you wondered, no, I’m not going out in the crowd. Never have. I’m not into crowds and Ann has already stocked up on the little ones searing holiday needs. Yeah, I know. So grinchy.
But I’m not worried about any blowback for my cynical attitude toward our material world. Because I know that damn few people will read this post. You’re too busy running, shoving and being beasts in the melee. As the Sarge said in Hill Street Blues… “be safe out there”.
Ihg 11-26-2021
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