What I Did Not Understand About Black Friday
I do not shop on Black Friday. I do not participate in the post-Thanksgiving madness that has become the biggest shopping day of the year.
Still, I am terribly curious about why some of my friends and family take part in Black Friday. I want to know what they shop for at 3 a.m. I am curious about what time they go to bed Thanksgiving night. And do they get any sleep at all?
For years, I thought all of this early morning (late night?) shopping was driven entirely by bargains.
I was wrong.
The friends and family I spoke to surprised me by saying that while they certainly took advantage of a few deals, they mostly shopped for the experience. In fact, “experience” was the word everyone used. And most were out of the house before 2:30 a.m.
That made me realize what a truly spectacular job retailers have done with the marketing of Black Friday. What started as a way for people to get an early start on their Christmas shopping and avoid post-Thanksgiving boredom has given way to the biggest shopping event of the year.
Simply, just as Starbucks has done a remarkable job of marketing the experience of ordering and drinking pricey coffee in their stores, Black Friday has transformed itself into something that makes people feel hip.
Like they are a part of something.
In fact, shoppers feel so good about Black Friday that they are willing to camp out in front of a store to take part in the phenomena.
Just don’t look for me in that long line. I’ll be home in bed.
