Bustling crowds, flash sales, and filled shopping carts were what a typical Black Friday sale looked like years ago. Now, with the addition of Cyber Monday, sales have continued past the one-day craze, and shoppers no longer have to leave the comfort of their homes to get the items they want. Though Cyber Monday was introduced around twenty years ago, it has only really seemed to take off recently, mainly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Long-term social studies substitute teacher Christina Buehner was one of many who began ordering online years ago, and has continued to do so since.
“I do prefer online Black Friday shopping. The company I worked for kept us at home, so I was working from home and shopping from home, it didn’t really have that much of an impact on my shopping experience,” Buehner said.
For those who go shopping in person, timing is very important. Lines can get lengthy, and products can sell out quickly, depending on how popular or needed it is.
“I usually go in the afternoon, on the day of, or later at night. There aren’t a lot of people around, so that’s where the items are. I usually shop for clothes, makeup, and shoes. I sometimes get movies, because that’s a family tradition,” junior Raquel Avila said.
While some people shop on Black Friday just for the sales, others go in with a purpose and lists for relatives and friends. It may be a fun activity, but it can be viewed as a necessity for those with larger families to take advantage of the clearance items.
“I began Black Friday shopping when my kids were little, in 2005,” math teacher Shawn Erb said.
As time goes on, prices will only increase, whether due to popularity or inflation. What was once an easily accessible item can turn into something that is constantly sold out. In recent years, Black Friday deals have expanded beyond the usual one-day sale, allowing people to purchase products whenever it is most convenient.
“Things are expensive, and they keep growing in expense as time progresses, so I’m always looking for deals. I also really like that Black Friday has kind of expanded from just the day after Thanksgiving. It’s now like a week to a month beforehand that the sales come out,” Buehner said.
With Black Friday being placed right after Thanksgiving and around a month before the winter holidays, people have the chance to buy gifts at lower prices, helping cut costs while still purchasing meaningful items.
“It gives people the opportunity to buy things that they don’t have the money for when it was their original price. When it’s Black Friday, items are all discounted and cheaper,” Avila said.
