Black Friday Hypes

From the Webster’s Encyclopedic Dictionary, Black Friday occurred on any Friday that there was a public disaster such as in the United States on September 24, 1869 that bought about the first financial panic eventually leading to the stock market crash. Later according to the American Philatelist in 1961 Black Friday became a term used in Philadelphia to describe their heavy chaotic traffic the Friday after Thanksgiving thus the beginning of retailers recognizing an opportunity to make a profit during the 1975 Black Friday—getting out of the red (loss) and into the black (profit). For many years all across the United States and in other countries, Black Friday has become a retailer’s holiday occurring right after Thanksgiving where popular stores have big promotional sales drawing potential customers to form long lines around stores usual right after they have had their Thanksgiving meal. When stores announce a limited supply of products that are in demand the lines start forming around stores before Thanksgiving. So, what are the hypes? Shoppers get to start “bargain” shopping for Christmas right after Thanksgiving now as early as 8:00 p.m. on Thanksgiving day where initially stores would open at 6:00 a.m. on Friday after Thanksgiving as mentioned in U.S. News & World Report, November, 2011 and stores get to boost their sales at the beginning of the Christmas Holidays and hopefully make a huge profit while setting the tone to getting shoppers in the Christmas spirit for spending. So, what is the hype?—consumer spending!