How Has Black Friday Changed Due to The Pandemic

by | Nov 25, 2020 | Uncategorized

May the hunger games begin!

Happy Black Friday everyone! Is your wallet ready to do some damage? I hope everyone is prepared to unleash their inner shopper: May the hunger games begin! I must admit, I have never been a huge fan of Black Friday or any huge sales day for that matter, but this year things will be looking quite different. If you are any bit like me, you might actually enjoy Black Friday this year. 

Black Friday chronicles

I can’t be the only one who gets pretty anxious when I’m shopping and the place is PACKED with people. I mean, wow… Where do I even start? There are just so many things going on. Do I start fighting the woman over at the make-up counter for the last naked palette or do I fight that boy over there for the new PS5? I really don’t know, is there a guide for this? Someone help! 

I do have to say though; Thank god I have never experienced Black Friday in the United States. Otherwise, I might not have survived to write this article. I also may have seen too many YouTube videos and over-exaggerated just a tiny bit. Anyway, the United States aside, just like everyone else, I still can’t resist a good deal. I am only human after all. Who doesn’t love a good sale?

Black Friday

Why is Black Friday called Black Friday?

Did you know Black Friday was originally used to describe the stock market crashing? The term Black Friday originally started in the United States, in the early 1800s to describe when the stock market crashed. This later transitioned into meaning the day after Thanksgiving and was used as a term for workers who took the day after Thanksgiving off for a longer weekend.

The earliest use of the term Black Friday was actually a slang used in Philadelphia by police officers to describe the heavy traffic that would happen the day after Thanksgiving. This is also said to be where the name and day originate from. The Black Friday day itself was called “Big Friday”, but it never really stuck with the people and later on became Black Friday. In the United Kingdom, however, it is used slightly differently. Over there it is used to describe the Friday before Christmas. Later on, other countries slowly started adopting the day and it has now become an international affair. 

How will Black Friday change this year?

This year many companies have been adapting to the pandemic and are changing how things will be done. Can you imagine what would happen if a bunch of people went crazy at the shops during a pandemic? Let’s not extend our “lockdown” even longer than it already is. Companies are moving their “in-store exclusive” products online, extending their sales to avoid the crowd of customers, and of course, safety protocols and capacity controls will still be in place. Instead of fighting over the product in person, you can now do it digitally. 

If you happen to be one of the brave ones to enter the war zone during these times, then you might enjoy the less crowded space and freely shop to your heart’s desire but why not simply take your Black Friday shopping online! Who knows, maybe you’ll end up loving the new Black Friday way of shopping, I know I definitely will. If you are like me and you rather spend your money on experiences and traveling make sure to take advantage of JoinMyTrip’s Black Friday deals as well!

Big brand sale now on text on a tv screen during Black Friday
How will Black Friday change this year?

Things people do on Black Friday that makes no sense

Yes, people do weird things for a good deal, like queuing in line for 14 hours to buy a 2€ towel. Why? We will never know. Or, people buying nothing for $5 from the company that created the game “Cards Against Humanity”. You might be wondering, who is dumb enough to buy nothing for $5? Well, guess what? The company made $71,000 from selling NOTHING! That is truly some next level marketing. Should we start selling nothing too? Maybe this is the secret all along? Wait for it, it gets better. The employees then used that money to spoil themselves with a bunch of goodies. Yep… I don’t know what to tell you, this actually happened. 

Interesting fact

Interesting fact; 12% of Black Friday shoppers are actually drunk. I guess, if you are going to be queuing long hours, and having to endure the crowded space, you could always join the 12%. Do it at your own risk and don’t hold me accountable.

I think if I were to be under the influence on Black Friday, I would be in debt and my credit card would not see the light of day for a while. Could this also be the reason why there was a point in time where pyjamas were surprisingly the most sold item on Black Friday? Why pyjamas? Is it because drunk shoppers like me have no self-control and just buy everything? Are pyjamas the first thing that pops into your mind when you’re shopping on Black Friday? I need answers. On that note, I think it’s time for me to end this here before I start asking more questions and end up creating some Black Friday conspiracy theory.   

A crown of people in the streets in the night shopping for Black Friday during the pandemic
Things people do on Black Friday that makes no sense

I hope you enjoyed this little read and stay safe out there, it’s a crazy world we live in. 

Are you crazy enough to explore the world? We hope so! Head over to JoinMyTrip to start finding like-minded travelers. 

For more information, tips or inspiration; check out our other articles:

  • Working For a Travel Startup During a Global Pandemic
  • How To Stay Safe This Holiday Season
  • Coronavirus: 10 Things to do Under Lockdown
  • Coronavirus: 5 Important Tips for Traveling When your Trips get Cancelled
  • 8 Tips For Traveling After Corona

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