This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Columbia Barnard chapter.
- What is Black Friday? Black Friday is known as the official start to the holiday shopping season. The retail industry tries to incentivize shoppers to go into their stores and spend a lot of money. It is called ‘Black’ Friday because usually, the retail industry operates in ‘red,’—not making a profit—but during this time, stores start to go into the ‘black’ and gain a lot of earnings.
- When and where does it happen? It is the day after Thanksgiving, but sometimes the deals start days before! And they happen both online and in-person. Black Friday is known for having more sales in person, while Cyber Monday has only online deals.
- What to expect? You can expect a LOT of sales and deals. Many stores have crazy deals on popular items — like Apple, BestBuy, and a lot of clothing stores. The prices on many of the products tend to be the lowest they go that year. Because of the amazing deals, there are long lines, big crowds, and busy streets. Products go off the shelves pretty fast because of how eager people are to spend money on Black Friday — so if you are interested in buying something, go early or at the very least have a plan to get the product!
- Where to find the best deals? The closer we get to Black Friday, the more deals we see online and in newspapers. One of the easiest things to do is to go online and search up “Black Friday [store/product name],” and you will find what you are looking for.
- Some stores to visit in the city:
- Macy’s: It is known for holiday shopping and has everything from clothing to home goods.
- Saks Fifth Avenue: It usually has really good sales and discounted holiday shopping.
- Bergdorf Goodman: It has a lot of high-end brands on sale and traditionally offers free morning snacks, beauty events, and shoe department giveaways.
- Bloomingdale’s: Has the “Big Brown Bag Sale,” where it offers many deals like 50% off your entire purchase.
- Apple: Usually, the store doesn’t offer any discounts, but on Black Friday, they tend to have gift cards, headphones, or something else of that sort with a purchase.
- The Shops at Columbus Circle: There are so many stores here that you can probably find everything you want in this one place!
From my experience, Black Friday seems to happen earlier and earlier every year, and this year is no different! Deals and savings have already begun, in-person and online. So if you are ready to shop, find out what’s for sale online, make a plan, and go!