How Will Retailers Manage Black Friday This Year?
Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2020 8:27 am
I've seen a few advance Black Friday ads on the tube, which leads me to wonder how stores are going to pull this off given the current circumstances. Granted Black Friday sales aren't the big draw they once were, as people are doing more of their Christmas shopping online (I believe Cyber Monday surpassed Black Friday in terms of sales revenue last year). Still, there are people who will wait in line and rush through the store to nab the $99 TV. This year stores will have to enforce occupancy limits and keep track of how many shoppers are in the premesis at any given time, not to mention people gathering outside waiting to get in.
Personally, I tend to avoid big box stores like the plague (pardon the pun) on the day after Thanksgiving. Crowds grabbing at stuff just aren't my thing. Black Friday is pretty much a marketing gimmick anyway. Consumer Reports has published market studies indicating that many of the "big deals" stores tout can be found other times during the year, and are not exclusive to that particular day. It will be interesting to see how many people hit the stores on Black Friday this year, and how Cyber Monday sales fare in comparison (I suspect it will be a big jump). I'm sure there will still be shoppers who want to do the store sprint for that $99 TV, and the staffs of these stores might have their work cut out for them. Still, could this be the year that signals the eventual end of the "door-buster deal"?
Thoughts?
Personally, I tend to avoid big box stores like the plague (pardon the pun) on the day after Thanksgiving. Crowds grabbing at stuff just aren't my thing. Black Friday is pretty much a marketing gimmick anyway. Consumer Reports has published market studies indicating that many of the "big deals" stores tout can be found other times during the year, and are not exclusive to that particular day. It will be interesting to see how many people hit the stores on Black Friday this year, and how Cyber Monday sales fare in comparison (I suspect it will be a big jump). I'm sure there will still be shoppers who want to do the store sprint for that $99 TV, and the staffs of these stores might have their work cut out for them. Still, could this be the year that signals the eventual end of the "door-buster deal"?
Thoughts?