I don’t watch a lot of TV these days. I even get the majority of my news online, and thus, “normal” people always look at me a bit oddly as I am taken aback by such announcement as the outlet malls will be opening at Midnight for shopping on “Black Friday”, and the local Mall will be open at 3 am.
I view this as consumer overkill in the extreme. I have never, once, in my entire life, been up at 2- 2:30 in the morning and said to myself “You know what I would love to do? I would love to go to the mall.” I have always looked at Black Friday as a kind on consumer insanity- while there may be some deals to be had, the crowds are usually so insane as to make the very thought of driving near a mall on Black Friday gives me claustrophobia and chilblains.
I know people who have a “shopping strategy”. They spend days in advance of the event, figuring out where to start and where to end, pouring over ads and getting “battle plans” together that frankly are the envy of invading armies everywhere. I understand havng a plan, and I understand the “get in, buy, get out” plan, but unless they are handing out free Mac Book Pros at the Apple Store, you will not see me at the Mall at 3 am. I don’t care how good the deals are- they can’t be good enough for this craziness.
If I want to go shopping in my Jammies, if I want to participate in Black Friday madness, it will be through Think Geek, Amazon.Com and other online merchants.
If someone out there can explain to me why this Black Friday voracious consumerism is important and a thrill, I would love to know. I know it’s important to retailers, but why should we as consumers care? Everytime we participate in the idiocy of Midnight Madness, we encourage retailers to do more of this silliness. And what sense does it make to put something on ridiculous sale for an hour, and then jack the price up two hours later? What is this, airline tickets? Ebay?
Have fun out there, shopping ’til you drop. I’ll be at home, (sleeping!) and then having a cup of tea and enjoying the quiet.