PAINTED BLACK
When the Rolling Stones sang about painting it black, the band was not promoting the yearly shopping frenzy that is Black Friday.
Black, or technically the absence of colour, is not generally viewed as a positive colour in marketing. Except for the Friday following Thanksgiving in the United States, that is.
Traditionally the Friday following the U.S. Thanksgiving is t he day shopper’s line up for a range of low-price deals on everything from toys to major electronics. This year, the American Thanksgiving is on Thurs. Nov. 23, with Black Friday the following day.
The term “Black Friday” was first used way back in 1869 to describe a day the United States stock market crashed. Its modern connotation is quite a bit more upbeat — it’s now used as in marketing to indicate the start of the Christmas holiday shopping season.
Black Friday is probably the biggest shopping day of the year in the U.S. and stores plan many of their major sales for that day.
Ever since the start of the modern Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1924, the Friday after Thanksgiving has been known as the unofficial start to the holiday shopping season. The name “Black Friday” originated in the 1960s and refers to retailers moving from the “red” in their finances, to “black.” It references the days before computer spreadsheets, when accounting records were kept in written form and red indicated a loss; black a profit.
As retailers began to realize they could draw big crowds by discounting prices, Black Friday became the day to shop, even better than those last-minute Christmas sales. Some retailers now put their items up for sale on the morning of Thanksgiving, or email online specials to consumers days or weeks before the actual event. The most shopped for items are electronics and popular toys, as these may be the most drastically discounted. However, prices can be slashed on everything from home furnishings to apparel.
In Minot, many stores be opening their doors to consumers the evening of Thanksgiving at 8 p.m., and the majority of other retailers will be opening between midnight and 2 a.m. Check your favourite store for their special hours.
Black Friday can be a long day, with many retailers opening their doors early to the hordes of people waiting anxiously outside the windows. There are numerous door-buster deals and loss leaders — prices so low the store may not make a profit — to entice shoppers. Often, people will show up for a small number of limited-time door-buster deals, such as large flat-screen televisions or laptops for a few hundred dollars.
Canadian shopping outlets have begun competing with the U.S. tradition by offering their own Black Friday sales. But, there are still advantages to crossing the border to check out different stores and different products.
Go online to visitminot.org/
coupons to check for Black Friday hotel specials.