Black Friday is entering a different time marked by online shopping and a lack of eye-catching deals from retailers. The days of waking up at 4:00 am to be first to the sales seem to be only for those invested in its tradition. Holiday deals have moved online, making shopping malls a lot quieter and slowing participation in Black Friday.
It’s uncharacteristic to have empty malls on a day known for shopping. The National Retail Federation estimated a record 130.7 million people would go shopping on Black Friday, yet many recall the malls not having the same fullness as years past.
“I started shopping at 6:15am on Black Friday,” Lincoln East senior Callie Dreibelbis said. “It definitely felt emptier than I remember. There weren’t very many people shopping and most of the stores weren’t even open.”
It isn’t just online shopping that stripped Black Friday of its holiday spirit, but a lack of “good” deals by certain retailers. The sales this year were atypically low, and they seemed to be available for longer than just the single-day event. Multiple stores like Macy’s and Amazon opened their deals in October, bringing about less of an interest to shop on Black Friday alone.
Even though the looks of Black Friday weren’t the same as years past, the numbers show a record turnout for shoppers. The National Retail Federation’s surveys show there to have been 200.4 million people both in person and online from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday. While it may have felt quiet, a large increase in online shoppers from last year is likely the culprit. Adobe Analytics reported that Americans this year set a record by spending $9.8 billion on Black Friday.
“Our Black Friday was very busy,” Sephora employee and East senior, Stella Tidball said. “It was by far the biggest day of the year and possibly Southpointe’s most popular day ever.”
The statistics do not reflect what Black Friday looked like in 2023, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing for the economy. This recent data combined with consumer habits is providing hope for even more holiday spending and a much-needed boost for the economy.
