Black Friday has, for years, been the day that people start to do their Christmas shopping, with most businesses offering incredible deals and holiday specials. It falls on the day after Thanksgiving and has a more complex history than just a holiday bonus. However, @djdowneygirl shared a video to TikTok that has since racked up 25 million views. In the video, she breaks down the reality of the supposed sale prices at one particular retailer, Target.
Viral Video Challenging Black Friday
@djdowneygirl can be seen in the video looking at price signs at Target. When she looks at the original tag, behind the Black Friday price tag, she discovers, or rather confirms, something she’d seen already making its way around the internet. On her Target run, she was only shopping “for some snacks.” However, after seeing others’ claims that this year’s Black Friday deals aren’t all that they promise to be, she decided to see for herself. Sadly, her discoveries are disappointing and “confusing,” according to her video.
Something to Say
The viral TikToker shows some TVs posted with a sale price but finds the original tag reflected the same price. Some might argue that it was perhaps a misprint. Meanwhile, former retail employees have shared their wisdom. Some claim that the possible reason for this “trickery” is simply a result of laziness. “I worked at a target. I was lazy. hope this helps.” One person explained.
“I currently work retail and we are told to have the original tags behind. When the sale is over, there is a list to take the tags off.” Shared another.
“We didn’t take down the original price sign because it’s just easier to put back up after Black Friday.” Said a third.
@djdowneygirl #stitch with @DeJay Downey #goodsale ♬ original sound - DeJay Downey
Lastly, a commenter rationally explained, “That’s the sales price that continues PAST black Friday. The tag in front is just for BLACK FRIDAY that’s why it’s black.” Meanwhile, another pointed out that this discovery could actually be beneficial for shoppers stating, “we actually should thank the associates for leaving them there and letting us know what’s up.”
A Potential Black Friday Myth
In contrast, this theme seems common, not just at Target. According to CBS, many stores have proven to be dishonest regarding their special offers. Some other major retailers, sometimes guilty of not actually lowering prices for Black Friday, include Nordstrom, Amazon, Banana Republic, Wayfair, and Williams Sonoma.
Following the viral video, many people shared their thoughts on the supposed Black Friday deals. “I found one where the regular price was lower then black Friday deal.” explained one person. “Wow that’s not a deal,” wrote another. Meanwhile, others exclaimed, “‘they haven’t done any actual deals in years.”
For generations, there has been some discussion regarding the pros and cons of Capitalism. Although the American Dream would promise the possibility of wealth for anyone, it’s impossible to achieve that wealth without working off the backs of others. Furthermore, post-pandemic, many corporate profits are through the roof, all the while inflation is high, and average citizens are struggling to keep up, fearing losing their homes, jobs, or the ability to feed their families.
Long History of Black Friday
So whether it’s just a coincidence, the result of lazy employees, or a major conspiracy to put more wealth into the pockets of major corporations, Black Friday has a great significance to the financial standing of the U.S. In fact, the term originated on September 24, 1869. It became a mainstream term after financial panic ensued when 2 United States businessmen chose to “corner the gold market”. Fast forward to 1929, and the term came up again when the market crashed, leading to the Great Depression. However, it was a Tuesday rather than the Friday after Thanksgiving.
Less than 100 years would pass before the term “Black Friday” became mainstream again. In the 1960’s, police in Philadelphia began using the phrase to describe the chaos that would ensue after suburban residents and tourists would come to major cities to do their holiday shopping. As a result, police had longer hours during this time. Noting an increase in things like shoplifting and traffic jams, they began referring to the day as Black Friday. However, it wasn’t until the 1980s that “Black Friday” referred to shopping holiday deals the day after Thanksgiving. Merchants at that time “spread the red-to-black profit narrative.” The term was used to represent the day that stores began to turn a profit, making it the biggest shopping day in the U.S.
Alleged Misconception Regarding Race
Understandably, some have chosen to opt out of the Black Friday shopping deals to show solidarity with people of color. The reason for this is that it was once believed black slaves were sold off “at a discount” the day after Thanksgiving. Fortunately, according to History, this is a misunderstanding and no factual evidence has backed that claim.
Be it the joy of retail therapy, at a good rate, or just a ploy for companies to make more money, Black Friday has taken on many forms. Yet, each form somehow relates to the financial standing of individuals or our country as a whole. Regardless, the day after Thanksgiving, until about the week before Christmas, is the busiest time of year for shoppers, with the Saturday before Christmas being the biggest day for shopping, according to some reports. DeJay Downey, the woman in the viral video, has spent some time responding to some of the comments she’s gotten. Check some of them out here.