Black Friday
Traditionally, the day after Thanksgiving, called Black Friday, is known as the first day of the Christmas shopping season. Black Friday is not an official holiday, but many employers give their employees the day off. Black Friday was first named for the huge amount of traffic that occurred on that day. Then it became known as the day that the stores would start to make a profit for the year. For example, accountants would use red ink to indicate a loss of money and black ink to indicate a profit. The day after Thanksgiving is typically the first day in the year that a store will be able to use black ink in their accounting books.
Usually, merchants (those who own the stores) use a three-layer effect to get people to come to their stores and shop. The first thing they do is offer huge discounts on popular items, like video game systems or iPods. Then when the customers come into the store to buy those popular items, they will see other items that are on sale and want to buy those, too. Finally, as the person is walking through the store looking for the items on sale, they may notice some other things that they need or want which are not on sale and buy those as well.
This year, analysts (those are the people who watch other people shop and tell the world how people are behaving) say that Americans are not spending as much as they have in past years. Last year, shoppers spent about $375 each on Black Friday. This year, they have spent about $350 each. Americans are worried that if they spend too much, they will not be able to buy things like gas for their cars or pay the electric bill during the winter time. Gas and electricity have become very expensive in the last year and the rising costs of gas and electricity make it hard for people to buy other things that they do not need, like a PlayStation 3.
The internet is another way shoppers can save money. Many online stores offer the same great sales and do not charge extra money for shipping. In addition, shoppers will not have to spend extra money for gas because they do not have to leave their house to shop online. Traditionally, online stores begin to offer these great sales on the Monday after Black Friday. It is known as Cyber Monday. This year, analysts said that sales reached a whopping $700 million dollars ($700,000,000) on Cyber Monday. It seems more people want to stay at home and shop online than to fight the crowds on Black Friday.
There are some people who refuse to shop on either day. Instead, these non-shoppers have their own holiday known as Buy Nothing Day which is on the Saturday after Black Friday. On Buy Nothing Day, non-shoppers do not buy anything in the stores or online.
No matter how people shop, online or in a store, Black Friday is an exciting day for most Americans. Many people have made Black Friday a tradition of planning on Thanksgiving what to buy on Black Friday, going for breakfast at 2 a.m., and standing in long lines hoping to be the first people to walk through the doors and find a real bargain.
Usually, merchants (those who own the stores) use a three-layer effect to get people to come to their stores and shop. The first thing they do is offer huge discounts on popular items, like video game systems or iPods. Then when the customers come into the store to buy those popular items, they will see other items that are on sale and want to buy those, too. Finally, as the person is walking through the store looking for the items on sale, they may notice some other things that they need or want which are not on sale and buy those as well.
This year, analysts (those are the people who watch other people shop and tell the world how people are behaving) say that Americans are not spending as much as they have in past years. Last year, shoppers spent about $375 each on Black Friday. This year, they have spent about $350 each. Americans are worried that if they spend too much, they will not be able to buy things like gas for their cars or pay the electric bill during the winter time. Gas and electricity have become very expensive in the last year and the rising costs of gas and electricity make it hard for people to buy other things that they do not need, like a PlayStation 3.
The internet is another way shoppers can save money. Many online stores offer the same great sales and do not charge extra money for shipping. In addition, shoppers will not have to spend extra money for gas because they do not have to leave their house to shop online. Traditionally, online stores begin to offer these great sales on the Monday after Black Friday. It is known as Cyber Monday. This year, analysts said that sales reached a whopping $700 million dollars ($700,000,000) on Cyber Monday. It seems more people want to stay at home and shop online than to fight the crowds on Black Friday.
There are some people who refuse to shop on either day. Instead, these non-shoppers have their own holiday known as Buy Nothing Day which is on the Saturday after Black Friday. On Buy Nothing Day, non-shoppers do not buy anything in the stores or online.
No matter how people shop, online or in a store, Black Friday is an exciting day for most Americans. Many people have made Black Friday a tradition of planning on Thanksgiving what to buy on Black Friday, going for breakfast at 2 a.m., and standing in long lines hoping to be the first people to walk through the doors and find a real bargain.
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