Every year on the fourth Friday of November, after all the eating and festivities have settled, people start preparing for the biggest shopping day of the year: Black Friday. Since 1961, when the day officially got its name, millions of people have saved up and lined up– all in hopes of scoring the best deals of the year. But the question that many of those who do not participate in this ultimate day of shopping, and even many who do, ask: is it even worth it?
Several big name stores such as Walmart and Best Buy have begun to open their doors to the public on Thanksgiving day around five or six PM, which may certainly interrupt holiday celebrations. Stores may be offering some great markdowns, but is it really worth the sacrifice of potentially cutting into your family time? Or risking getting hurt by one of the hundreds of other shoppers– whether it be from getting trampled or far worse, like the two men who were stabbed at Willowbrook Mall in Missouri.
It is also beginning to become far more evident how less stores are actually saving you money, such as Urban Outfitters and Sephora. Urban outfitters offered a buy one item get one 50% off deal, while Sephora only offered small gift bags for the price of 15 dollars. Shoppers should also be aware of what the “deals” really are, otherwise they run the risk of being scammed. One of Target’s “doorbuster deals” was an offer for the Apple Watch being sold for $329.99…its original MSRP. Despite the majority of the deals having gone downhill over the years, people are still are making their way out to shop in hopes of getting their Christmas shopping done without breaking the bank. Another thought to keep in mind is whether or not the Cyber Monday deals will surpass those of Black Friday. With that being said, is Black Friday really worth it?
You tell me.