Black Friday, Friend or Foe?

Image Artem Beliaikin

My inbox and newsfeeds today are billowing with Black Friday offers, special deals and limited, ‘biggest ever sales’. As a consumer and business owner, I’m curious as to whether this annual event is friend or foe?

What I’m observing is a lot of readers commenting on mass consumerism and the tidal wave of this US-born sales strategy to Australian shores. For the most, these comments appear to lean more towards the negative. However, is this my selective hearing and unconscious bias towards my dislike for hyper selling?

As a business owner, I can’t help but ask myself an alternative question. While I align myself more with people over profit, what if I was to offer a product at a reduced rate? Would it provide someone with an opportunity they may not otherwise have had? Is the provision of a sales offer actually a helpful solution before the December melee and will a purchase now mean more time for festive connection later?

While it can’t be denied that retailers are battling for our dollars, it’s worth considering our approach to sales and shopping. When investing in our businesses we are always careful with our budget spend. Cashflow is tight for many and so any decision must be made with careful thought. When buying for others, we commonly practice the art of giving like so - consider the person who will receive and how we would like to treat them. Then we go in search of a gift that represents friendship, love or camaraderie. Whether that search is done online or in real-life, we find options and make a decision.

The question in both cases is this - are our decision done quickly, instinctively and emotionally, or are we slower, more thoughtful and methodical?

In fact, we could ask this question every time we consume content in our inboxes and newsfeeds. Do we actually stop to think?