While some are concerned with stuffing the turkey and baking the perfect pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving dinner, stores are preparing to accommodate the massive crowds of shoppers as they scout out the best Black Friday deals.
The day after Thanksgiving, or Black Friday, is known for kicking off the holiday shopping season. On this day, retailers make between 20 to 40 percent of their annual revenue; the most shopped-for items are electronics and popular toys, as these may be the most drastically discounted, according to blackfriday.com.
The term Black Friday was coined by Philadelphia police, bus drivers and cab drivers working the day after Thanksgiving in 1966. These workers attempted to control the increased traffic jams and pedestrian traffic in the shopping district, according to moneycrashers.com.
However, retailers didn’t like the negative connotation surrounding the term Black Friday because it is an important day for their sales. Today most shoppers believe that it is called Black Friday because the retailers move their profits out of debt, or out of the red and into the black.
Although the holiday traditionally takes place on the Friday after Thanksgiving, many stores plan to open on Thanksgiving Day to accommodate the large crowds.
According to inquisitr.com, stores such as Best Buy, Target and Macy’s will be opening on Thanksgiving, while other stores like GameStop and Nordstrom have vowed to not open their doors until the following morning, the actual Black Friday.
Because of the controversy surrounding stores opening on Thanksgiving Day for Black Friday sales, Maine, Rhode Island and Massachusetts have passed laws forbidding stores to open on Thanksgiving.
Despite the debate over stores opening on Thanksgiving, some students and their families still plan to shop on Thanksgiving and Black Friday. While some are excited to take advantage of the great deals, others are more hesitant to participate.
Said senior John Birle: “If stores open on Thanksgiving, I would be very surprised if they attracted any customers. If they had business on Thanksgiving, I think that American tradition of Thanksgiving is fading away and people would rather go shopping than spend time with their families.”
“I think Thanksgiving is a time for football and family, but Thanksgiving is the one day that it’s essential to be with your family because they are the people you love most,” said sophomore Chrissy Harvey.
For those who decide to shop Thanksgiving and Black Friday, visit bestblackfriday.com for deals and information.