The holidays are here! The much anticipated Black Friday and the digital chaos of Cyber Monday are a shopaholic's dream and a bargain hunter's fantasy, but the direction of these events has changed.
For some people, the holidays mean spending a lot of time with family and friends, traveling, and enjoying delicious food. Other people see the holidays as the time for scoring amazing deals on items they have wanted for a long time and an opportunity to shop in the stores and on websites. Many wait for large markdowns and discounts,to buy gifts for a cheaper price. However, in the last couple of years, Black Friday has changed tremendously. In the past, many people would camp outside of stores overnight so that they could be the first of many to snag such amazing deals. But now, Black Friday shopping looks a little different.
Black Friday a couple of years ago looked a little something like people pushing and shoving each other, fighting to be first in line, arguing and bickering as they waited impatiently for the big box stores to open. In most cases, people would camp outside starting at 3 a.m. while all of their bellies were digesting their Thanksgiving turkey meal until the doors opened. Already-tired and frustrated people fought over every last item on the shelves such as a Dyson Airwrap, new Nike shoes, or even the new Uggs, possibly even injuring themselves as well as store employees.
In recent years, I have noticed Black Friday shopping is no longer what it used to be. As we all know, online shopping has become more reliable and more prominent in our lives. Cyber Monday has become the ultimate commercial venue, as most sales are better, and it is far more convenient to shop online. The appeal is undeniable — no long lines, no jostling for space, and being just a click away from exclusive online bargains. Many people rely on online websites for everyday essentials like toilet paper, clothing, groceries, etc. So, why wouldn’t they use online stores for their Black Friday shopping as well? Amazon, Uber Eats, and Instacart have now joined in, just to name a few, to do in-person shopping for you (at a fee, of course), but it’s worth it to avoid the craziness and chaos of Black Friday.
Online shopping has also become more convenient. The reason for this is that everything is delivered to your doorstep, items rarely go out of stock, and there are even greater discounts than in physical stores. And the best part is you can do it all from the comfort of your couch with just a touch of your finger and the flick of the mouse!
I sent out a survey to Edgemont students and faculty that consisted of two questions regarding their Black Friday shopping habits. The first question was “Did you go Black Friday shopping?” Survey participants had a choice of answering “yes” or “no.” The second question asks “How did you participate?”. Respondents had three options to choose from that best described their Black Friday shopping habits. The survey gave me a good idea of the student body’s shopping behavior. On November 29, 2023, the survey was sent out, and results were collected by the end of the day. There were a total of 107 responses. For the first question, 71% of participants said that they shopped on Black Friday, and the other 29% selected that they did not. When asked “How did you participate?” Of the 107 respondents:
-49. 1% answered “I shopped online.”
-27.8% answered, “I’m old fashioned and I went in person.”
-23.1% answered, “I didn't participate, it's not worth the chaos.”
According to my results, the majority of people in Edgemont prefer online shopping to going to stores. The Black Friday extravaganza may not be for everyone, but some still enjoy the excitement of prancing through the aisles, wide-eyed, looking up and down the shelves at everything they wish to own in stores such as Lululemon, Sephora, or Target.
In conclusion, both Edgemont students and consumers in general increasingly engage in online shopping, not only during the holiday season but also throughout the rest of the year. Happy shopping!