$41 billion, 195 million customers, and over one hundred stores; these were the statistics for Black Friday 2009. Every year, nearly 100 million people go to malls in hopes of getting their shopping done early while saving a lot of money. Starting back in 1966, Black Friday was primarily popular on the East Coast. In 2000, the term became more notified throughout the country.. In 2007, an estimated 135 million people participated in the Black Friday shopping rush.
“I love going shopping on Black Friday with Jacob Derrick because he buys me lots of stuff,” said junior Emily Perry.
Truly dedicated shoppers often stake their spots days in advance in search of the perfect gift and bargain. Shoppers turn local store parking lots into KOA campgrounds in order to be the first in line when the doors open before dawn.
“I spent the night at Best Buy on Thursday night and shopped there at 5am. There were quite a few characters there also. And I saved a few hundred dollars on new college laptop,” said senior, Tanner Sullivan.
Because of the crowds, stores often hire extra security to handle the long lines and sometime aggressive shoppers. Tempers have been known to flash faster than a new Canon camera.
Black Friday is usually a safe event but there has been some incidents that have led to tragedy.. In 2008, a 34-year-old, Wal-Mart employee was trampled to death after shoppers smashed through the store’s front doors. According to police, officers who arrived to perform CPR on the dying man were also stepped on and injured. Dangerous scenarios, like this one, cause some people to bring more than a credit card on Black Friday. Coach McLeod is one of these people.
“Sometimes I carry a gun because I have a weapons permit. There is a lot of crime and I don’t want to be a victim. The 2nd amendment gave me the right to protect myself and all the bad people out there are armed and dangerous. I’m just going to make sure I’m not a victim,” said
Coach McLeod.
The crowds are not for everyone and some, like junior Amber Johnson, are not willing to risk the frustration just to save a few dollars.
“I don’t go because it’s always so crowded,” said Johnson.
Some people forego the long lines and overnight campout for the safety and comfort of online shopping. For those less adventurous shoppers, Cyber Monday is just the ticket.
Cyber Monday is the online equivalent to Black Friday. In 2009, nearly $600 million was spent on online shopping. Due to its increasing popularity, Cyber Monday has been identified as the unofficial beginning of the Christmas online shopping season. Because of online shopping’s popularity, Cyber Monday has become increasingly more widespread.
“I love online shopping because I don’t have to leave my house just to get good deals,” said junior Elizabeth Tyner.
Whether shopping over the bustling internet or amidst the crowd of the stores, Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become as much a part of Christmas as Santa himself.
