RetailGasm

Black Friday shoppers
Photo from Huffington Post

Before consumerism became a lifestyle, the only time I ever got to hear the words "Black Friday" was during Holy Week. But that hasn't been the case the in last three years or so.

In America, Black Friday is synonymous with huge discount shopping, which only happens once in a year. Enterprising companies put out and slash price tags way, way down, tempting a mad dash of people who are hoping to score great deals. This, for them, is officially the start of Christmas. Yet even with the exasperating crowd situation, where there's actual danger of interchanging faces with somebody, more and more people seem to come to the stores to experience the, uhm, orgy.

If Filipinos wake up at dawn to observe 16 days of Simbang Gabi tradition during the holidays, Americans stay up late into the night after Thanksgiving, to stand outside the store, sometimes in the cold, so that they could get first dibs on items they normally won't buy at its regular prices. Some sectors are actually complaining that Black Friday takes away the spirit of the holiday before it. People forego having the traditional Thanksgiving dinner with their families in order to be at the lines, as stores open at exactly 12 midnight or earlier. Store clerks, meanwhile, skip the Thanksgiving feast altogether to man their areas and prepare for the madness.

Here in the Philippines, some do get to experience Black Friday by conveniently shopping at online US stores. It's essentially like cheating away from the crowd and crazies. However, local brick and mortar stores are slowly adapting into this Western tradition by setting up their own Thanksgiving sale. Now this? Is total madness! And it's obviously a marketing ploy because the price cuts are not even significant. Only, when people see the word SALE sprawled across the merchandise, it's so easy to get them to bite into it. It's pathetic business practice, I hope other stores won't consider getting into next year (hah!).

I pride myself with being a bargain hunter, but I can never understand the joy of shopping when this is what you have to enjoy it with:

Photo from Google Images

What are the chances of snagging that item you've been eyeing, now at 80% off, when you have to brave this sea of people?

Shopaholics need their retail therapy. I understand this because, like the occasional fever and fatigue, I also have my bouts with the "disease". There is, however, a different kind of disease plaguing consumers during Black Friday and there are studies to back it up (imagine that!):

• New research reveals the reason why we shop on Black Friday
• Professors study psychology behind love for Black Friday
• Black Friday and Cyber Monday: Understanding Consumer Intentions on Two Major Shopping Days

Retail stores are, no doubt, more than happy to be the root cause of this.

Is Black Friday shopping even worth it?

Have you tried being in the crowd during Black Friday? What was the experience like?