Every mall around the country is filled with customers hoping to get some of the best deals of the year on the weekend following Thanksgiving. Black Friday, which is the day directly after Thanksgiving, is something most look forward to each year, along with Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday.
While malls and stores were still packed this year, online shopping took precedence over in-person shopping. E-commerce sales jumped 7.5% from last year, and a record of $9.8 billion was spent this year with online shopping alone, according to Adobe Analytics.
“I didn’t go shopping on Black Friday because I didn’t see a need to; I could get the same deals online and not have to leave my house…I can use my phone if I want to go shopping. I don’t have to go in my car [and] spend money on gas. It’s very easy,” senior Morgan Stagaard said.
It’s the convenience of scouring websites online that draws many to prefer online shopping over going in-person. While in the past, many would stand outside a store or mall as early as 5am to get the best item, it’s more convenient to order everything online. Sometimes, stores even have online-only sales, increasing the incentive to online shop.
However, Black Friday isn’t getting the hype it once got. This is partially due to the fact that many retailers have sales year-round, so these once-a-year Black Friday deals no longer exist.
In the past, the high demand for specific items caused fights to occur. Cabbage Patch Kids, known as the most popular toy of the 1980s, was said to have sparked what we now know as Black Friday, where hundreds of people ran to the stores for this toy. While many were unable to get their hands on these dolls in the ‘80s, English Teacher at SPFHS Alisa Zonis’ father was.
“In the ‘80s, everybody wanted a Cabbage Patch Kid and I was heartbroken because I thought I wasn’t going to get one from Santa Claus. As it turns out, my father somehow managed to get one…And I remember thinking that my dad was a superhero for getting this toy…So it’s a family mystery as to how I got this doll. But it was an incredibly amazing memory,” Zonis said.
Even though online shopping has become more common among younger generations, the hype around the holidays will be present forever.
