Wall Street Journal (November 27)
“So far there are signs that U.S. shoppers are shelling out cash on gifts and other items. More shoppers visited stores and online spending grew on Black Friday this year compared with last year.” For many retailers, however, the rub is that “consumers are shifting away from store credit cards,” which had “been a lucrative source of revenue for retailers…. But the stream is drying up.”
Tags: Black Friday, Cash, Consumers, Gifts, https://www.wsj.com/business/retail/black-friday-spending-was-strong-how-people-pay-for-gifts-is-upending-retailers-e783ba2e?mod=itp_wsj U.S., Lucrative, Online spending, Retailers, Revenue, Shoppers, Store credit cards, Stores
Forbes (November 27)
“It’s an omnichannel holiday!” This Black Friday weekend, Americans re-embraced “in-person shopping…returning to stores and malls in big numbers.” That did not, however, lessen their “love affair with online shopping.” On Black Friday, a “record $9.12 billion was spent online,” up more than 2% since 2021.
Tags: $9.12 billion, Black Friday, Holiday, In-person shopping, Malls, Omnichannel, Online shopping, Record, Stores, U.S.
USA Today (November 23)
“Thanksgiving used to be one of the few holidays retail workers could count on,” but in recent years more retailers have opened their doors to get a jump on sales. “No one needs to be able to buy a big-screen TV on Thanksgiving.” Consumers can wait until Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) when the Christmas sales traditionally commence. Americans should “spend Thanksgiving Day at home — not shopping — so retail workers can be at home, too.”
Tags: Black Friday, Christmas, Consumers, Holidays, Retail, Sales, Shopping, Thanksgiving, Workers
U.S. News & World Report (November 26, 2013)
“It is truly disgraceful to ruin the holidays of so many retail workers by requiring them to deal with shoppers–especially cranky, crazed discount shoppers–on a day when they should be relaxing and enjoying football and a big meal.” Traditionally, U.S. consumers celebrate a relaxing Thanksgiving on Thursday, and shop like mad the next day when stores reopen on “Black Friday.” This year, however, many stores are opening on Thanksgiving. “The only way to stop the madness is to kill it off from the other end, and boycott any kind of shopping on Thanksgiving Day…. If no one buys, they won’t try this offensive stunt again next year.”
Tags: Black Friday, Boycott, Consumers, Holidays, Retail U.S., Stores, Thanksgiving Day
Time (November 19)
Thanksgiving Day falls on the fourth Thursday in November in the U.S. The following day is traditionally known as “Black Friday” because the accounts of many retailers move from red ink to black ink as they reach profitability for the year. To maximize revenues, Black Friday sales have been creeping up, with stores opening earlier and earlier. Now many are opening on Thanksgiving Day, creating a “new class divide:” those who do and don’t work on Thanksgiving. “Perhaps it’s time for shopping moratoriums so that everyone can give thanks, instead of just those who have more to be thankful for.”
Tags: Black Friday, Class divide, Retailers, Thanksgiving, U.S.
