Seriously, though. Are we still doing Black Friday? Asking for a friend. And myself. And maybe all of you, too? Don’t get me wrong, I love a deal and I love to shop. But isn’t it getting a bit out of hand? And this is coming from someone who works in advertising and is an influencer.
Nothing can make you feel quite as broke as seeing ads for things that have been on your wish list for years, things you never knew you wanted, and everything in between, and knowing you can’t afford (or shouldn’t be or don’t need) to buy them. Day after day for a month straight. Quite frankly, it’s just exhausting!
First of all, it’s not just Black Friday anymore. It’s basically Black Fourteen, since the “can’t miss, one-day-only” deals last at least two weeks these days. Gone are the days of waking up at 3 a.m. to be one of the first in line at the store when it opens at 5 a.m. to ensure you get your (actual) hands on that hot, can’t-miss item with a deal that actually made waking up that early worthwhile. Do y’all remember seeing the news coverage of people literally camping on sidewalks in front of stores?! I remember waking up one Black Friday morning and getting to Best Buy with my mom before the sun even came up to buy a Nintendo 64, a flat-screen TV, and a microwave. It was pure chaos but also so much fun, and one of my favorite Thanksgiving memories. Does anyone even go to a physical store on Black Friday anymore, especially before 9 a.m.? Everything is at your fingertips — instead of waiting in line you just click (or tap) a button or two, and voila! Shopping is done in an hour or less. Cool and convenient and all, but where’s the real fun in that?!
Then it’s deal after deal getting thrown in your face, all day every day, no matter where you turn. Ads on the TV, ads on the radio, targeted ads on social, you can’t even open Instagram or TikTok right now without someone talking about “the best deal ever” for a “life-changing” item “you literally need” or “you never knew you needed.” Are they even actually good deals anymore, anyway? I feel like I rarely pay full price for anything anymore because there’s always a good deal out there to be found.
AND THE EMAILS! Don’t get me started on the emails. All 3,000 of them that roll in daily. “Don’t miss out on these Black Friday deals!,” “Treat yourself to 40% off EVERYTHING,” “Early access ends in hours,” “Shop Black Friday deals NOW!” I kid you not — I opened my email and those were the first four that came up. You can have all of your Christmas shopping done without paying full price before Black Friday even rolls around if you want to.
As an influencer, I am expected to be sharing these deals, the sales, the early access, the can’t-miss and must-have items, etc. etc. etc. But I can’t do it! Nope. It just gives me a major ick shoving all that in people’s faces. There are enough influencers posting non-stop on their social media, making us all feel a little inferior and like we are missing out that I’ll skip this one. I know that’s not their intent, but I can’t be the only one who feels that way at times, right? All shared while sitting in front of their dang viral Home Depot tree with twinkling lights, holding a new seasonal Stanley in hand, snuggled up with a Barefoot Dreams blanket (which is on sale), sharing deals about their morning vitamin drink and Wal-Mart deals to come.
So, for real… what’s the deal? Is anyone else feeling this way? I honestly have no plans to shop or even buy anything this Black Friday. Maybe it’s just me being stubborn and proving a point (to myself). I’m typically not a Negative Nancy and usually a Positive Polly 99% of the time, but I’m just starting to feel some major Black Friday burnout! Maybe next year will be the year I win the Lotto and will have a different opinion. I’ll keep ya posted!
But don’t worry — if you miss Black Friday there’s also Cyber Monday. Me personally, I’d rather celebrate Small Business Saturday or Giving Tuesday!
READ: ShopJax: A Locally Sourced Holiday Gift Guide
(But if anyone sees super awesome deals on things for an almost 7-year-old and a 2-year-old little girl, will ya let me know? Thanksssssss.)
