'Black Friday' becoming a shadow of its former self in US

[Gefn]

New York (AFP) - The US holiday shopping season officially opened with a deluge of "Black Friday" promotions but the frenzied crowds of the past have thinned out with the rise of e-commerce.

Companies in the retail, entertainment and tourism industries once again tried to entice shoppers after Thanksgiving with a bevy of offers on a day synonymous with American consumer culture and notorious "doorbuster" sales that start at the crack of dawn.

But US consumers aren't buying Black Friday the way they once did.

Only 36 percent of US consumers plan to shop this year on Black Friday, down one percent from last year and a decline of 23 percent from 2015, according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers survey.

https://news.yahoo.com/black-friday-becoming-shadow-former-self-us-165854513.html

[Gefn]

I don’t know about anyone here but I don’t do Black Friday. On the other hand my sister lives for it.

[mountaineer]

I haven't shopped on the day after Thanksgiving for a few decades, since Christmas shopping is not a big deal to me.

[Gefn]

I haven't shopped on the day after Thanksgiving for a few decades, since Christmas shopping is not a big deal to me.

I have to get a present for my mom, my sister and my sister’s new puppy. And a few toys for Toys for Tots.

I’m baking for my neighbors. And the girl who cuts my hair gets a bottle of wine. And of course I have to tip the maintenance people here. All and all it’s about $100-125.

[berdie]

I have to get a present for my mom, my sister and my sister’s new puppy. And a few toys for Toys for Tots.

I’m baking for my neighbors. And the girl who cuts my hair gets a bottle of wine. And of course I have to tip the maintenance people here. All and all it’s about $100-125.

Same here @Gefn . My family and friends have dwindled. I can get most of my purchases on-line...or by doing baking or service type things. And donations to some charities I favor.

I've never been to a Black Friday event. It doesn't seem to be with the spirit of the season. Trampling and knocking people down to save a little money doesn't seem to generous to me, lol.

I was interested to see on the local news that the stores weren't experiencing a lot of that. That's good. But I still wouldn't deal with it or go camp out all night.

[mountaineer]

I've shopped for my nieces and will buy a few things for my sister and her husband (I usually put together a gourmet food basket). Mr. M and I have agree on no gifts for one another. So I'm pretty much done with shopping.

[Wingnut]

I let my fingers do the walking.


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But it means something else today.

[libertybele]

I have never shopped on 'Black Friday' and I remember people punching and pushing each other to get the cabbage patch dolls when they first came out.  Pushing and punching over a doll!  What the heck is wrong with people.

I used to start Christmas shopping in September and spent hours and hours getting the right gifts and spent several thousands of dollars on my kids and grandkids.  Not anymore and looking back it wasn't appreciated.  Miss the bunch but don't miss the kick in the pants, the stress, and the insults nor wasting all that money!!!  Lesson learned.