Black Friday: Why have we suddenly got it ??

[Paul K]

Today, I've been looking through the various news websites and the Daily Telegraph, for which I have a subscription, and there are many reports of scuffles and altercations in shops in Britain because it's Black Friday.

From what I understand, Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving Day ( a public holiday in the USA, and held on the last Thursday in November ), when people decide to skip going back to work for one day ( in the USA ) because it's the weekend approaching, and stores up and down the country ( that country being the USA ) reduce prices to stimulate Christmas shopping sales. Because of the frantic buying and unseemly scramble for bargains, the event has been dubbed Black Friday...IN THE USA.

What the hell has it got to do with the Friday after an American public holiday, here in Britain ? Why has the media latched onto this term and unthinkingly adopted it, even though it has no relevance whatsoever to this country ? It's not Black Friday here...it's just a Friday. Why is this expression suddenly everywhere you look, even in Orbx's sale announcement (and they are Australian !) ?

And while we're at it, not every damned thing is 'awesome' or 'iconic' either. Gawd, somebody rescue the English language from the Internet, please !!

[TSR2]

Here here.

[Tako_Kichi]

As I understand it Black Friday is so named as it is the day when retail stores finally get into the 'black' for the year when taking account of store rentals, running costs, staff wages and all other sundry costs for the year. From Black Friday until the end of the year everything they make is profit.

Of course every business is different in terms of annual running costs but that's were the term originated.

[Paul K]

Well that's two definitions of the term Black Friday that I've come across today - but taking either one, what's it got to do with Britain and shops over here ?

[SkippyBing]

Well that's two definitions of the term Black Friday that I've come across today - but taking either one, what's it got to do with Britain and shops over here ?

I think the fact that they're using it as an excuse to discount stuff in a pre-Christmas sale. Feel free to pay full price rather than take advantage.

[steelsporran]

You are not alone, here in NZ when I saw an australian owned retailer had advertised a black friday sale I had to check the calendar.
What's next, the actual T#@^$!%+*g holiday?
No thanks and by the way I am bitterly disappointed there will be no St Andrew's Day sales here tomorrow.

[Chris558]

Dear, oh dear - the scenes of pandemonium on the news...Merry Christmas!

Every US craze comes over here anyway, so I suppose Black Friday is no exception.

[GaryJ]

England.....51st state of the US

[airboatr]

Hekhem..
Thanksgiving is a day we set aside to give thanks for all ... well, -we whatever one has to be thankful for. Which I think is a bad idea because it sets precedent that one should recount ones blessings on just one day out of the year, instead of what should be , That one be thankful every day of the year.

The downside of that of course is the greedy marketers would have Friday black every week of the year!...
........
Having ssaid that I'll keep my holiday .... and the day off. .........two actually since it usually turns into a 4 day week end.

..................
The aforementioned opinion is not necessarily that of CBFS or it's members
in whole or in part...
(ok a small part... Yo Brian! )


Having said That
I despise Black Friday and the lust of stuff....so I do not take part.
Truly
today I needed a cable from radio shack ... which of course they were out of stock.. I noticed a 2200mah rechargeable battery for cellphones
or whatever works off 5v 1amp
the regular price is 29.99 but was on sale for 7.99.

But I refrained. ...... I'm thinking about it still though ... the store closes at 2100 and it's only 1802...

[Garry Russell]

I had to look it up...Friday following thanksgiving is what I got

Why do we always have to follow the US?

We don't celebrate Bastille Day, but there are parties to celebrate 4th of July in the UK and we LOST that one.