Argumentative Essay: Is Black Friday Over?

This month, Americans will spend nearly $800 per person on holiday sales. Every major retailer will have massive deals on clothing, electronics, and furniture, among other products. Many companies will be giving more than 50% off on some items. The biggest shopping day of the year is Black Friday, where some $50 billion is spent over the four-day weekend. However, many economists are saying that the shopping season, and Black Friday in particular, is losing its luster. This past year, the day after Thanksgiving sales dropped by 11%, which begs the question: Is Black Friday over?
We first must look into the origins of Black Friday to understand its demise. In 1939, the country’s largest retailers asked President Franklin Roosevelt to move Thanksgiving up a week in order to have more time to unveil the season’s sales. And so Black Friday was born, an annual tradition where Americans find the best deals of the

year. Starting in the 1980s, consumer spending rose dramatically. Retailers looked for any means possible to have longer period of sales, and so deals now begin well before Black Friday begins. Then, in 2011, stores such as Target, Macy’s, and Best Buy opened at midnight Friday, as opposed to doors opening at 6 AM. In 2012, Walmart and several other retailers opened on Thanksgiving Day, once considered unfathomable. Target now offers 10 days of deals leading up to Black Friday. Consumers don’t need to worry about rushing to the store on Friday, since there are deals well before the unofficial beginning of the holiday shopping season begins.
As much as early deals affect Black Friday sales, it’s online shopping that’s hurting the most.

In 2005, companies began to offer deals online beginning the Monday after Thanksgiving, coined “Cyber Monday”. Since then, online shopping on that day has risen every year, and in 2014, sales exceeded $2 billion, up 17% from the year before. In addition, there are more deals on Cyber Monday than Black Friday. Over the last two years, there have been 45% more clothing deals on clothing on Monday than on Friday, and 50% more shoe deals. People no longer feel the need to deal with the shopping madness of Black Friday when they can easily buy products online in the comfort of their own home.
While Black Friday remains the biggest shopping day of the year, there may be cause for concern among retailers that it could be losing that title. Between stores offering deals earlier and earlier every year, and online shopping becoming the ideal way to get the best deal, it seems like the days of Black Friday being the biggest day of the year for retailers are

dwindling.