Lifestyle | November 26th, 2023

Modernizing Black Friday: The Rise of Online Shopping

By: Nina Shortt

Has the Black Friday frenzy lost its edge? Over the years fewer campers assemble outside stores eagerly awaiting the best sale items and deals of the year. The high discounts no longer possess the same attraction to draw in consumers as they once did.

Online stores and holidays such as Cyber Monday continue gaining consumers while in-person interactions the day of are declining.

The race of the year for savvy shoppers is beginning to lose its touch in the eyes of the public. Jalynn McDuffy, a third-year Florida A&M University student, says she no longer finds the excitement of Black Friday fun or appealing due to online shopping while reminiscing on old traditions.

“It’s much easier to sit in your living room and order anything. Every year, my mom, aunt, and I would go to all the stores on Thanksgiving night after we ate and go buy Christmas presents every year. Now, we don’t. It’s just not the same,” McDuffy said.

Early Sales

Since stores have started discounting items as early as October and continue variations of the sale until Cyber Monday, Black Friday has become an undervalued day for shoppers.

Based on WalletHub’s holiday shopping survey, 35% of items at major stores will offer no savings compared to previous sale prices leading up to Black Friday.

Big sales being sooner than expected have started to create a lack of urgency in shoppers, delaying when people head to local malls on Black Friday. This “holiday creep” minimizes the impact of the Black Friday frenzy on consumers in previous years.

Online Shopping 

According to Wallethub, in 2022, most Americans shopped from their homes on Black Friday more than in stores, with 122.7 million people getting deals in-person and 130.2 million making purchases online.

The Black Friday culture fuels the start of Christmas shopping and allows people to shop without considering the total price. Ten years ago, the deals would be so thrilling they would create chaos throughout numerous malls and stores nationwide.

Retailers would ensure buzz around their items by advertising before the big day, but now, more pop ads on online stores. The nationwide shopping frenzy would lead to impulsive decisions, as individuals have limited time to determine their items the day of.

Post Pandemic Shopping

Now that most consumers take the time to plan out their shopping instead of making decisions in the midst of Black Friday, the excitement that has people waiting outside of stores as soon as their feast is over is no longer occurring. Javon Thomas, a fourth-year Florida A&M University student, says he knows people still shop on this day but wishes it was the same before 2020.

“After the covid-pandemic, you just don’t see people go crazy and wild for deals. I feel like it was a real sense that Christmas is here. Online shopping is convenient and appreciated, but I wish I’d see more spirit for the day like beforehand,” Thomas said.

Though Black Friday may not be the same in media, the number of buyers continues to rise yearly. Having more days to maximize shopping deals before and after the sale day of the year has people less in a frenzy to swipe the card quicker.