Is Black Friday Over as We Know It?
It’s hard to imagine what Black Friday will look like this year.
For as long as we can remember, the day after Thanksgiving has been dedicated to waking up early, putting on comfortable shoes, and braving the crowds.
In fact, the Black Friday shopping frenzy has been creeping across the calendar in recent years, expanding to include portions of Thanksgiving day itself and often extending into the weekend after Thanksgiving, right up until Cyber Monday.
While it’s not for everyone, lots of people look forward to the tradition of assembling a shopping squad, studying the Black Friday ads, and putting together a plan of attack to get all the best in-store deals.
It’s hard to imagine how this scenario, which was designed to attract massive crowds, could possibly continue unaffected by the coronavirus pandemic.
In an interview with CNN, Scott Rankin, principal and national consumer and retail strategy leader with KPMG US, said,
“I just can’t envision that happening this year. With everything that’s going on, there may be no Black Friday at all. I can’t imagine retailers buying inventory to stock up for an event designed to pack hundreds of people into a store. There are so many risks to that.”
All things considered, we expect much of the Black Friday excitement to take place online this year, with new features like curbside pickup utilized by many retailers. Another trend to look for is online deals starting earlier than ever this year, possibly as soon as Halloween!
Not everyone will miss the in-store deals this year. Many consumers have already embraced the idea of doing their Black Friday shopping online, and have been using this strategy to avoid the crowds and score awesome deals from home for years.
Even as stores reopen for in-store shopping across the country, people who have previously preferred in-store shopping have discovered the convenience of online shopping and plan to shop from home for the foreseeable future.
Even in the years to come, as we hopefully put the pandemic behind us, will the appeal of in-store shopping on Black Friday be enough to draw people out from behind their screens?
Although this year’s Black Friday will almost certainly be unlike anything we’ve seen before, one thing is certain: We’ll be working around the clock to let you know where all the best deals are, whether they’re in-store or online! Bookmark our Black Friday page now so you’re ready in case the deals start rolling out early this year and follow along so you don’t miss a thing!
A lot of the stores that I’ve shoppee for black friday deals have gone out of business in my area.
Hopefully the sales will continue online but on the bright side…we can have Thanksgiving back!
The only Black Friday event I look forward to is checking the Hip2Save app on the hour looking for my name for the great giveaway. Hoping that won’t change.
Be sure to stay tuned! 💕🤗
Same.
I’ve been Black Friday shopping for 20+ years and I won’t be going anywhere near it this year. There is no deal remotely worth it.
There was no deal worth it pre-Covid. 😂 Especially since a lot of the same deals have been available online these last few years.
Yes, I have been getting the same or better deals online the last several years. I gave up on Black Friday shopping (in person) once it changed from people hanging out/having fun to people trampling each other.
Exactly, Suzanne! Ridiculous!
Agree!
The past few years have been getting less and less exciting for black friday – the big “wow” items that you want to stand in line for aren’t there. I still enjoy shopping with my crew (we dress up with goofy christmas clothes, drink starbucks peppermint lattees, and get kinda loopy without our sleep!), so the tradition is there but the deals are just better and easier to get online. We even talked about doing a sleepover and shopping online instead of going out last year. With COVID, that idea is seeming more tempting this year.
I agree there has been less and less to go out for but I still loved getting with friends and family and going out shopping. I am totally going to steal your idea for this year though! And at least we will get Thanksgiving back
Do you want to risk going to stores for gifts when the flu and Covid-19 are circulating? This is definitely the year to shop early, if you can. I’m just doing small items and cards this year, because I don’t want to be empty handed, but I still want to save as much cash as I can, just in case.
Just wear your mask, right? That is what all the “experts” are saying will help “prevent” the spread. Guess what folks, initial studies are showing that you only have antibodies for The Rona for a short time then you are able to get it all over again. This isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
That’s the spirit!
Amen!! Love to see common sense and no paranoia!! The flu aka: Covid 🙄 was around last Black Friday I’m sure people understand that…. as long as there’s stores open I’m going out and hopefully by then I don’t have to wear the stupid placebo mask.
The flu and this virus are two completely different things so please stop spouting conspiracy theories you’ve heard from unreliable sources. This is a world wide issue that’s very fluid and the experts are trying their best to determine the best course of action to slow the spread. It gets old hearing the flu comparison esp. when the flu dies off in the summer and clearly the cases of COVID are picking up. No shopping trip is worth endangering your family or mine.
Do you even look at the death rates? Check out the CDC, they are falling. What are we so worried about?
It is just about death rate. It it the hospital rate. It is some of the bad side effects lasting God knows how long. We still do not know everything this virus will do to people.
Try teaching people to stop eating processed crap. That will actually help others.
The news/cnn is unreliable.
try Fox, you’ll love their side of “truth” 🙂
I’d like to report a bot. I can’t imagine you are a real person if you actually believe the misinformation you are spouting.
Everybody pounces on the person who proclaims the world is round when the news says it is flat because we say so!
Debby, I just hope your ignorance doesn’t put others at risk. Stay home if you won’t wear a mask. Grow up!!!!
Debby, just remember the lion doesn’t care what the sheep say.
You must be a Trump supporter if you think COVID is like the flu. When someone you know dies from it, let’s see if you change your mind.
Ohhh, Debby. Please let us know what you know that the experts don’t, that you clearly learned during your time studying microbiology, epidemiology, and public health. If only those pesky PhDs would stop making such inconvenient recommendations for community health.
Oh Lord, here we go again. Collin, please be fair and give us a thumbs down button as a choice.
I’m already trying to figure out what adjustments to make to the holiday season to make it special. I normally throw a party and enjoy big gatherings. This year I’m loosing a lot of things I look forward too, so they need to be replaced. Baking more and sharing baked goods instead of parties, etc. Don’t have a Black Friday replacement yet. Open to suggestions 🙂
It’s been over for years since retailers got greedy and made there employees work on thanksgiving
You’re right!
That’s when we stopped going out as well.
I never went needing or wanting anything specific, it was just a fun & memorable family tradition.
I’ve already started my Christmas shopping. Everyone is getting masks and hand sanitizer in their stockings!
That sounds boring!
She said stockings, not the main presents. Extra protective goodies is a good thing. No need to harsh on anyone’s mellow, mom.
Luv2save, that’s awesome!! What a great idea! I’m totally stealing that, thank you!!
lol!
The only thing I look forward to is the hourly giveaway from H2S lol you guys are the best and hope we still get to “hang out” together this year! 🙂
Aww, Thanks a TON for the super sweet comment, Monique! 💕 We sure appreciate you joining us each year!
You are so right! We can bake, do a puzzle, play games or just lay around & still check Hip2Save every hour. My kids laugh every year cuz I set a timer in case I get way to into Monopoly or something.
I’m with you, Lee. I want to feel festive and celebrate, but not sure how yet. A decorated house is still lonely when you live alone. I enjoy baking, but I tend to want to eat what I bake and that gets me into trouble.
Hi. I live alone too, but I’m such a Christmas junkie that I enjoy the decorations even if they are mainly for me. Late night or mornings having tea by the Christmas tree lights in one of the few things that I love about the holiday that won’t be effected at all by the pandemic, for which I’m grateful. I already spend a lot of effort wrapping even small gifts, but I may be even more extra this year. Baking will be a new bit for me. I manage cookies every few years, but this year I’ll up my game. I took advantage of a deal here and got a refurbished Kitchen Aide mixer. Other than that, I’m thinking even more music and may be driving around more to take in the house lights/decorations. I’m thinking people may put out some impressive displays this year. Maybe I’ll try some holiday themed writing. Who knows.
And more Hallmark Channel…maybe they should start the Christmas movies next week!!!! Christmas in July all the way through January!!!! 😁
Maybe this is an opportunity for us to bring back the true spirit of Christmas. I think a great replacement would be to get together with your “safe” friend( I assume we all have pretty much decided on still allowing at least one family to socialize with-mine is my neighbor) and do a project together that benefits the community. You could sew masks for a community mask tree, adopt a family for Christmas(I am sure there will be so many more this year that need help) or just spread some social distance cheer like caroling outside a nursing home. Last year, pre-covid, my local facebook community garage sale group had a post asking what people would like for a Christmas wish. There were tons of answers. One woman with a small child just wanted her electric bill paid because she was months behind and it was going to get shut off. It was a big bill so it would be hard to pay the whole thing alone, but one woman got her info and paid part of the bill and I paid the other part. Knowing that at least one family wouldn’t be without heat in an Alaskan winter actually was as nice as seeing my kids open their presents.
I have never had to do Black Friday shopping my children wanted tractors and there was never a line at John Deere or International. But the last few years me and my daughter have gone to Menards for dog beds then off to a movie and lunch, so I will miss that.
Dinner will be ready and everyone together as a family together at the table.
I will miss going shopping during the holiday season but I only shopped online on Black Friday. Maybe stores won’t be open on thanksgiving day this year and employees can enjoy their day.
Yes, on the plus side, stores may be closed on Thanksgiving. But we still can’t gather with our families. Social distancing. ☹️
I’m all about it!! I hope it doesn’t get vetoed this year!!
I love going out shopping and love going Menards for practical items. This year, I will try to order online but will take advantage of the gift card deals starting this month and save them for gifts. Limited options but it’s the thought that counts. Thanks Hip2save!
You’re so welcome!
I won’t be buying gift cards anytime soon. Don’t know what places will be closed ☹️
You do not hear the media scaring people into eating right.
If I eat poorly, it doesn’t put you at risk. If I don’t wear a mask, it could put you at risk. I do think the USA is full of unhealthy people who eat a lot of junk, but that’s a straw man argument and irrelevant here.
Not if having a healthy body keeps us strong to fight infection.
Really? Junk food is the same as covid? Oh honey. Do us all a favor and keep your tinfoil hat wearing self at home and off of the Internet
I would love for it to return next year but on Friday morning again! I don’t like that it ruins the holiday for so many.
Pjane right on ppl bow to the media and all the hype. I know it is hard to find the truth..ppl believe all this hype they have no clue the left want to issue in the new world order. Have us believing we need to be vaccinated that is being fast tracked and very little testing. Ppl are unaware big pharma is protected under the law..but don’t google it. Google fb are censoring what u can find out. Taking down any dissent. If u look hard enough in the right places u can find out what is really going on. So expect the masses to believe this is really worse than it is
Amazon prime is also censoring content. Censoring vaccination documentaries that conflict with AMA or Gates. Many people stare at the news media and run around repeating. It is scary that people behave so herd like. Thanks for braving the flock against independent thinking.
Where do you get your clearly-superior facts and information? Only first-hand sources, I presume? From your research while you were obtaining for PhD in epidemiology?
This is not the site for that kind of ranting. Please go somewhere else.
Censor yourself.
Hip2save, you should really delete this comment
Well, it looks like they are blocking my response addressing how this is inappropriate so not sure how much they care that this is wrong and offensive. I’ll wait to see if they delete this, but I’m not hopeful at this point.
Update: the comment I made is now showing. Not sure if the email I sent about it played any part. But they are at least allowing opposition to this comment even if they aren’t deleting it. Took a while, but it’s below now.
Hmm more censorship?
Agree, please delete. This comment is unsafe for our Muslim community members.
Wow. Only freedom of speech if someone agrees with you.
Freedom of speech? Didn’t you agree to TOS? This is a forum for you to exercise your freedom to say what ever you think you want. The 1st amendments says “the state” can’t limit your speach… not forum administrators, employers or anyplace tat isn’t your home or public free-for-all place.
This topic is like a facebook rant
Ahh, I get it. So if you land on one side of the argument:not a rant. If you’re on the other: SHE’S RANTING! ✌️✌️
I was just going to ignore all this nonsense. I closed the website and moved on, but really can’t ignore the Islamophobia in good consciousness without saying something.
It appears that you have not spent time in “mulsim countries.” I’m not going to go into the many reason what you just said reflects a failure to understand other cultures. However, you may want to google hijab as opposed to niqab or burka (and the other versions) and educate yourself before you speak again. You may also want to try actually talking to a Muslim woman at some point and get their opinion on why they choose to wear what they are wearing (or do you also assume that all Christian women who dress modestly have no agency). The ones I’ve heard explain their choose, really really don’t like it when people come at it with their prejudices.
“Black Friday as We Know it” I guess is, sadly, generational. Original Black Friday has faded away to a giant marketing event. Event, not a single “day after Thanksgivings” and certainly not “been dedicated to waking up early, putting on comfortable shoes, and braving the crowds.” We would have a giant family dinner… wait then it was the mess!
So, yea, true Black Friday is gone. New Black Friday is going to be different as the whole world has changed.
Black Friday is post-election so it should be good to go. I’m sure the media will have moved to a different agenda by then. That said, I prefer my shopping online anyway – I can do it in my PJs and am more likely to get the deals I want anyway.
Yep! I keep saying it’s all gonna go away after the election! Even internationally! That’s how much the media controls
Why isn’t Fox News bringing us the truth? I thought they were the only reliable news source? Are they too mainstream?
All of you that think covid19 is just being overrated by the media should wake up. All of you should work in the hospital morgues. You would think differently. I have been an operating room nurse for thirty years. We wear PPE during surgery to protect ME and YOU. Would you want someone performing surgery on you without any PPE? I don’t think you would but you think you shouldn’t wear a mask. It’s the same. PLEASE wear a mask, practice social distancing and stay Home. I can’t beg people enough that covid19 is deadly and most people that contract it Will have disabilities from it for life! The life you save my be your own. Have Black Friday online. Let’s all celebrate LIFE this year and be thankful that we are doing our part to prevent the spread TOGETHER
Exactly my husband and younger sister are both surgeons and they constantly talk about the hype portrayed by media having heart attacks wrongly diagnosed as from covid. The amount of misapprioperating diagnose to covid for hospital funding is an atrocity to our society. The mortality rate is harshly overstated with the media propaganda.
Please quit spreading misinformation and lies. Studies have shown that Covid-19 deaths are actually undercounted by a significant percentage. Excess deaths since the pandemic hit the US have been around 25% more than reported. as officially due to Covid-19. This is the most reliable way of determining the true cost of life of the pandemic.
I’m genuinely curious then, how will we ever proceed? COVID is not going away anytime soon. Do we just live in fear for the rest of our lives? Or until a vaccine comes out (fastest one has taken 4yrs and it’s not like those are even safe)? And for those people who choose not/can’t to vaccinate, what then?
Yeah and J&J are involved with making the vaccine-same company who knowingly sold cancer causing talc powder-so there is that.
I believe a hijab only covers the hair and neck. Because it does not cover the mouth or nose, it would not reduce the spread of disease. Also hijabs are for females, so males would still be exposed.
Well said Kddids. 👍
Thank you Debbie
No more deadly than the flu. Perhaps those who feel unsafe can practice social distancing. You may die with covid 19 but not of covid 19. This is the real truth. Sorry so many medical facilities cashing in on this.
Agreed. Obviously some part of Covid is real but not to the extreme levels that ate falsely gathered then told by CNN etc. If you have at risk health by age or poor health conditions, virus and cold can serious harm. Personally, I know quite a few who tested positive and recovered fully.-or back to normal. Recovered at home with the usual remedies for cold / flu. I do not think the USA has to turn socialistic-destroy the economy, way of life for this. I hardly hear of anyone trying to eat better/stop smoking/drinking to strengthen their bodies. It is so counterintuitive.
Good grief I’m embarrassed you are part of our Hip community! Collin I am so sorry this comment was posted on such a generally positive site!!!
I do feel sad that my daughter doesn’t get to experience all of the fun I had as a child…Black Friday for example. We would all stay at my aunts house (we have a HUGE family) and we would look at the ads and make our plan of attack 🤣. But I agree with some of the other comments to make new traditions. I’m gonna make lemonade out of these lemons! It gives me the opportunity to be creative and come up with some new and exciting experiences for my family!
@COLLIN AND FRIENDS: I love black Friday shopping. I hope we will NOT miss RITEAID MACYS CVS SEARS KOHLS. I bet the fun deals for kitchen gadgets at kohls will come thru for us and free shipping. Thanks for the fun posting of great deals on this site.
You’re SO very welcome, Pjane! I can’t wait to see what great deals pop up!
If the stores have sales, ppl will go. Simple as that.
I’m an online shopper so I wonder if the sales will be the same.
I want Macy’s deals of the day back 🤗 The family saved so much!!
Please leave the comments about news and conspiracy theories on the appropriate sites. This one is not the place.
I’ve done holiday shopping on Cyber Monday for the most part for several years now. I never cared for the Black Friday crowds because people tend to get ugly.
Black Friday online. I prefer that anyway over mad mobs. 😊
I always avoided black Friday and waited for cyber Monday.
I love that stores were open on Thursday & Friday though cause I always need the $hours$.
I did most my Black Friday shopping online. The only place we went hours after the beginning rush of crowds (late at night) was Kohl’s. It was way better then crowded places, greedy people, and long lines.
Agree. Kohl’s sent me $10 so I go around noon on Friday and it’s empty. Except last year since Kohl’s registers went down on Thursday so everyone had to come back and shop again.
It’ll be after the election, so no problem!
Whatever………
This was so unnecessary. And juvenile. Grow up.
She has a point. Things are very hateful in our society currenyly. Also, some words hurt the way they are used. For many humans.
She does not. Blackface, bad. Black Friday, stupid but not bad. Context is key. The term ‘Black Friday’ is based on when the stock market tanked in the 1860s.
Black Friday is just another day for me, by the time mid month rolls around I am basically too broke to pay attention ! Don’t think that I am one of those ” Bah Humbug! ” types of people, I just lost the joy of the holidays after both my parents passed away over twenty years ago. I generally migrate over to my daughter’s house and celebrate with her and my two grandsons ( ages 6&7) some say that Christmas is for the children , my inner child will never grow up ( toys r us kid). So even if they take away Black Friday, my daughter has a ” red phone” to Target and Amazon where she shops for many different reasons!
I’m sticking to online shopping, like I’ve done in the past several years. I think the last time I went to the store on Black Friday was in 2005. I don’t miss the crowd, the rude people and the craziness. I miss the low, low prices but not worth the stress.
I think it’s going to move to more online shopping. It’s not worth the risk of getting sick and I think stores will offer those deals online. I’m really hoping Walmart will list everything online this year. For 1 I think they’d sell even more and less risk of infection. I think they should offer all of the deals online. For example…dvd’s, clothing deals, sheets, Rubbermaid food storage containers etc.
I understand Hip2Save probably wants to be as free speech as possible, but I really don’t see what this woman’s comments are adding to the conversation. Please take yourself off to Facebook and Breitbart if you want to spout off conspiracy theories.
I shop deals all year long and do not wait till Christmas so stores can raise their prices and yet call it a deal!