A store like this won’t be too crowded this coming “black Friday.” As you can see it’s been shorn of any evidence that human life was once present. A few years back you could say the place must be on Jupiter or Saturn. But not now.
Black Friday got its name from circumstance. The Friday
after Thanksgiving was when merchants could put away the red ink of losses and
turn to the black ink of profit for the year.
They’d do all kinds of neat tricks to lure you in.
Early openings, low prices, sufficient staff, fast-moving checkout lines.
Stores still put stuff on sale. They still offer bargains to the first x-number
of customers to “door bust” on Friday morning… sometimes on late Thanksgiving
Day afternoon. But two things have happened since.
--Everyone started their black Friday sales events when the
ink on Halloween hadn’t yet dried.
--The pandemic.
--Amazon.com and its smaller cousins.
Since so many stores have closed so many branches, you’d
think the remaining places would attract heavy foot traffic. Think again.
Yes, the crowds at the end of this week will be heavier than usual. But
it won’t be like old times.
Many have been stocking up on gifts using the internet and
the TV shopping channels. And if the readings are correct, a lot of people will
cut back on their generosity this year.
The list of closed or bankrupt merchants is too long for
this space and would waste your time because you already know about the ones in
your area. But the big shrinkers include some famous old names. Sears, Kmart, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Lord and Taylor, and on and on.
So our retail choices have been squished thin, but there’s
something else going on here. Or at least there seems to be.
The Pandemic taught us how to do without. Travel? Forget
about it. And social gatherings, sporting events, movies. Is it also
teaching us to say “I can live without that new…” suit, dress, pair of jeans,
car, TV set, microwave? What’s selling hotter than a two dollar pistol?
Two dollar pistols.
Oh, there are supply chain problems with almost everything
from toilet paper (yes, that again) to SUVs, to major appliances. Guns
and armor seem exempt. Hmmm. Wonder why?
SHRAPNEL:
--Here’s a new candidate for the Stupid Promotions
Award. Using an Amazon distribution warehouse in Kentucky, companies have
started “brushing” customers, sending them stuff they didn’t order. Evidently,
they want you to write favorable reviews, thus moving them higher in Amazon’s
search results.
--It seems like only yesterday. Today is the 58th
anniversary of JFK’s assassination. And we’re still fighting over who-done-it
and why.
I’m Wes Richards. My opinions are my own but you’re welcome
to them. ®
Any Questions? wesrichards@gmail.com
© WR 2021
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