Black Friday sales inspire student shopping sprees

Black Friday, was the day the American people spent $11.4 billion buying gifts for their friends and family.

Black Friday is the day when most retail stores open early and sell most of their products at discount prices. For this reason, many people go shopping for presents or for themselves because everything is costs less.

In 1966, Black Friday was the name the Philadelphia Police Department gave to the Friday after Thanksgiving. Police hated the day do to of massive traffic jams, overcrowded sidewalks, and lots of shoplifters, and it was all because shoppers were taking advantage of early sales in Philly stores.

Many students went shopping to get Christmas presents for their friends and family. Others said they are going to buy items for themselves as well.

“I got to get a couple of Christmas presents for people,” senior Jacky Wong said. “I’m buying lots of clothes; I have to look sexy, so I can get the ladies.”

Some students were frightened to go shopping on Black Friday because of what they heard or their past experiences.

“There were hoards of people busting down doors,” Wong said. “I saw two people fighting over a purse; it was scary.”

There were others who never shopped on Black Friday before.

“It will be the first time,” junior Zack Rook said. “I have to buy lots of Christmas presents and stuff. If I have money left, I’m buying cologne.”

There were students that went shopping all day on Black Friday and spent a lot of money.

“Overall, I spent around $700 at Tysons,” senior Jenny Roser said. “This woman tried to take my sweater though.”

There were students who chose not to shop on Black Friday and instead save their money for Cyber Monday, a day when prices online are marked down.

“I saved my money for Cyber Monday.” junior Darien Huber said. “I bought like 8 pairs of shoes.”

IBM reports show that online sales increased 24.3 percent over last year. And overall spending on black Friday went up 39.3 percent.

Students are excited about after Christmas sales this year too, but what they don’t know is that Christmas sales don’t actually exist among retail stores like Pacsun, American Eagle and Abercrombie because it’s simply after Christmas. In reality, these stores are just restocking at this time of the year, which means that all of their old stock needs to be sold. To sell their extra stock they mark down the prices so that people will be more tempted to buy them, and that is why there are sales after Christmas.

“There’s no such thing as an ‘after Christmas sale,’” assistant manager of Pacsun Marcus Williams said. “Retail stores are just re-stocking around that time of year; so all old stock needs to be sold and goes on sale.”

Black Friday, shopping, Sprees Arts & Style, Issue 3, Print