Black Friday

Irish Guitarist

I wonder who the first person was that saw a video of Americans trampling each other to death in a shop to get a few dollars off a television and decided it would be a great marketing idea to have in Ireland. It seemed like such a ridiculous concept a few years ago and already had such a terrible reputation I never thought anyone would be stupid enough to use it here.

Hannibal_Smith

I got a few bargains, so I'm happy. They could call it what they want and have it for as long as they want imo as long as there are bargains to be had!

gramar

Hector Savage wrote: »

When did Black Friday become a big thing in Ireland ?
It seems it's just exploded in the last 3/4 years ...

I think it became a big thing over the last 3/4 years. Exploded even.

MadYaker

The adds on radio remind of this

ligerdub

Jamsiek wrote: »

In Canada where I live, they originally started having Black Friday in places near the US border to stop Canadians shopping across the border.
I really don't get why it's a thing in Ireland though

On the surface it doesn't make sense here, but it does if you think of who is competing here.

5-10 years ago if you wanted to buy something chances are you probably physically went into the shops and bought it. Even if you were bargain hunting you'd probably do either do your research on foot or perhaps online and then go buy the product.

When you consider then that Amazon ramped up their sales for Black Friday towards the European and UK&I market it forced a lot of other companies who might not have been competing with them before to follow suit. I doubt many people would have been willing to buy a TV from an online retailer a few years back, but the trend towards that has added a layer of comfort to the process for the buyer now.

If a customer buys a tv every 5-10 years and are prepared to buy from Amazon, who are taking 30%-40% off their prices then the likes of DID and Currys can't exactly sit idly buy and watch what would be their sales walk out the door. If they didn't do something they'd all go out of business. When you consider Amazon do this pretty much across the board then it brings in not just electronic shops, but pretty much every business.

It's not like these companies want to get involved with some sort of American tradition, it's that a global company with an American culture has eaten into the local market in a big way, and the locals must adapt to compete.

hairyslug

I love black Friday (before this year I never paid any attention to it) This is our first year as a retailer and it is mental.

PLL

The desperate need for possessions drives me loopy. I live in Galway city, so I'm used to a certain amount of foot traffic in shopping centres, but this week it has got ridiculous. Q's of 10+ in every shop.

I know it's Christmas and we want to gift our loved ones but I think the craze creates way too much pressure on people, who subsequently worry about Christmas. I would be heartbroken to think of anyone I love worrying about finding spare money to buy me a present when they're trying to pay extortionate crèche fees.

A work colleague of my partner'sites told him a few years ago they celebrate Xmas on new year because they literally spend half of the money.

As for this Black Friday BS, there is no good deal on any dishwasher. So I'm out.

valoren

May our thoughts and prayers be with the poor souls who work in retail today.

valoren

I've always found it ironic that this event i.e. a one day severe drop in asking prices for items derives it's moniker 'Black' presumably based on similar events in the stock market where we also see a severe drop in prices over a very short period.

The difference being when the 'Black' refers to retail goods people go mad to buy but when it's the stock market people lose their minds to and are mad to sell, the irony being that when the 'Black' refers to the stock market, it's actually the best time to buy stock given that the asking prices temporarily at least become bargains so to speak yet people sell, sell, sell.

valoren

valoren wrote: »

I've always found it ironic that this event i.e. a one day severe drop in asking prices for items derives it's moniker 'Black' presumably based on similar events in the stock market where we also see a severe drop in prices over a very short period.

The difference being when the 'Black' refers to retail goods people go mad to buy but when it's the stock market people lose their minds to and are mad to sell, the irony being that when the 'Black' refers to the stock market, it's actually the best time to buy stock given that the asking prices temporarily at least become bargains so to speak yet people sell, sell, sell.

The term "black Friday" came about as a reference to the severe traffic on the Friday after thanksgiving. Its origins have nothing to do with sales.

valoren

Laylah Hollow Society wrote: »

The term "black Friday" came about as a reference to the severe traffic on the Friday after thanksgiving. Its origins have nothing to do with sales.

Was reading up and another origin is said to be that 'black' refers to the positive book balance retailers would have after selling off stock i.e. that their books would no longer be in the Red.

HalloweenJack

There's an online shop that I use to buy retro football shirts from and they had 50% off so I bought a few things off them. Good value.

Agricola

valoren wrote: »

Was reading up and another origin is said to be that 'black' refers to the positive book balance retailers would have after selling off stock i.e. that their books would no longer be in the Red.

That's my understanding of it too. It originated in the US, so you'd imagine it must reference something financial!

paulbok

Black Friday refers to the day when in theory, a retailer has made enough to cover all their costs for the the full year, so everything from here on in is pure profit. So they are now "in the black" on the ledger.

lertsnim

Black Friday, when people fight each other over **** Polaroid HD televisions.

Ubbquittious

lertsnim wrote: »

Black Friday, when people fight each other over **** Polaroid HD televisions.

Another zombie brand. Once a company that made an innovative product, now just a brand name owned by a lad in an office who selectively imports various electronic doohickeys from China and sells them at a huge margin

Jamsiek

ligerdub wrote: »

On the surface it doesn't make sense here, but it does if you think of who is competing here.

5-10 years ago if you wanted to buy something chances are you probably physically went into the shops and bought it. Even if you were bargain hunting you'd probably do either do your research on foot or perhaps online and then go buy the product.

When you consider then that Amazon ramped up their sales for Black Friday towards the European and UK&I market it forced a lot of other companies who might not have been competing with them before to follow suit. I doubt many people would have been willing to buy a TV from an online retailer a few years back, but the trend towards that has added a layer of comfort to the process for the buyer now.

If a customer buys a tv every 5-10 years and are prepared to buy from Amazon, who are taking 30%-40% off their prices then the likes of DID and Currys can't exactly sit idly buy and watch what would be their sales walk out the door. If they didn't do something they'd all go out of business. When you consider Amazon do this pretty much across the board then it brings in not just electronic shops, but pretty much every business.

It's not like these companies want to get involved with some sort of American tradition, it's that a global company with an American culture has eaten into the local market in a big way, and the locals must adapt to compete.

I agree with you to an extent, but the big day for online sales is Cyber Monday where big corporations like Amazon really get busy.
Black Friday is more to do with buying in stores than online from my experience.

Cookie_Monster

Laylah Hollow Society wrote: »

In fairnes there are significant saving to be made particularly on sites like Amazon. I've saved close 30% on one item and 20% on another. These are items I've been tracking as Christmas presents for people for months so I know the reductions are genuine.

30% is hardly life changing now is it. If it's not got at least 70% off for black Friday it's not worth the bother and you'll get it cheaper some other time of the year.

freshpopcorn

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

30% is hardly life changing now is it. If it's not got at least 70% off for black Friday it's not worth the bother and you'll get it cheaper some other time of the year.

I saved a bit on the gifts I was planning on buying and it was the cheapest I've seen them during the year!