Being ripped apart from my family at the tender time of 5:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving night, I was already not in a good mood heading into work.
Last year, stores opened as early as 6 p.m. showing a complete disregard for employees. Where’s their holiday break?
You hear reports on the news showing just how savage people can be, including but not limited to: stabbing, fighting, trampling, stun-gun fights and the most appalling, actual deaths. People have died from the primal greed that a good “deal” promises.
Imagine walking into your normal place of work and finding in its place a scene from “Beyond Thunderdome.” Your employer’s are more worried about surviving the sea of angry consumers who use money as a weapon (along with actual weapons) rather than actually turning a profit.
And to be clear: Black Friday deals actually aren’t that great. Sure, once in a blue moon you will find genuine savings, but a majority of the sales are actually the same promotions stores have all year-round.
People are fooled by the illusion of savings and are driven mad by low-quantity items, believing they are somehow more valuable because they aren’t in stock in that 12-hour timespan.
Shoppers operate under the assumption that when they arrive to whichever store’s advertisement resonated with their needs, the store will have the exact items they need and the prices they want. But here’s the thing: life happens.
There’s more demand than a single store could possibly supply. When customers don’t get the item they expected, it’s somehow the fault of the minimum wage store associates who take more abuse than should ever be asked of anyone.
Here’s a trade secret from someone who has worked in retail for too long: Online shopping is the way to go during the holidays.
Almost all retailers have a significant online presence with the same promotions and even participate with online-only exclusives. Save yourself the literally life-threatening trip to the mall, and pay for shipping. That being said, most stores offer free shipping after a certain dollar amount is reached in a shopper’s’ cart.
A website will never deceive you, if an item isn’t in stock, or is sold out you’ll know immediately. Online shopping also allows you to search different stores all at once, even if in real life they’re miles away. Sure, you will have to wait a few days to get your packages, but at least you’ll be in one piece.
Black Friday is the cardinal sin of greed brought to life. I’m not unsympathetic to people who don’t always have the funds to buy whatever they like. I understand this night presents a rare opportunity for people to have nice things, but please, remain humane.
