Monday, November 2, 2020
It’s that time of the year again: Black Friday and all its craziness is upon us. Critique for the shopping crazed day and what it tells about our societies grows each year. There’s at least Block Friday, Green Friday, Buy Nothing Friday, and a myriad of other campaigns and protest initiatives. Some
So, let’s talk about Black Friday a bit.
Well first, none of the growing critique has slowed down the sales.
Black Friday sales have been steadily growing for years, breaking new records each round. In 2019, Black Friday’s online sales alone amounted to 7.4 billion dollars, making it the second largest online shopping day ever in recorded history in the US.
The amount individual shoppers spend is steadily growing too. In 2019, the average order value per consumer was 168 dollars. That again, set an all time record.
It’s not just Black Friday, and not just the US.
Just some years ago, Black Friday was indeed the one day shopping event, mainly known for the TV reels of American shoppers running around, fighting for discount items in stores. These vivid images stick!
But the real shift seems happened in 2017. That’s when Black Friday truly spread beyond borders, becoming a shopping season rather than a day and reaching countries all over the world.
First, Black Friday is now Black Weekend or Black Week. There’s already talk of
Thirdly, Black Friday is by no means just an American craze anymore. In
We do have to note though, the biggest day of online shopping happens before Black Friday, on 11.11. or Singles Day.
Singles Day is a Chinese shopping day, which started as a joke for singles: A day for all singles to shop for themselves. In
Why so serious?
Black Friday has been and is important to people who don’t have great purchasing power. The commonly huge discounts have meant the ability to buy modern necessities at an affordable price. So, what’s all the critique about then?
For many, it’s not about need. It’s about perpetuating our consumption-oriented society. And there’s the problem. Black Friday has become a celebration of buying things for the sake of buying things. Because this is unnecessary consumption of goods, the climate takes a hit.
All these unnecessary things are produced, stored, and transported, they all create waste. That comes with a price for the climate. When we’re too focused on the amount of things we could get and the size of a bargain, the true value and cost of the products and the resources used to make them are completely forgotten.
What we can all do
Whether you’re the business selling or the individual buying, you can do something.
Think longterm about what you’re doing.
If you’re an individual, don’t buy anything you don’t truly need and don’t truly love. If you’re a business, think about what your campaigning means for your brand in the long term.
Think about how you’re shopping.
Are you driving to a store, or ordering online? Can you reduce the number of trips you take? Can you bundle shipping and reduce the amount of individual packages? If nothing else, can you offset the climate impact of shipping? Can you take some action with your customers?
Think about what you’re buying, and ask questions.
Do you want it, or do you need it? How was it made? What’s being done to reduce the product’s climate impact? What's being done to reduce the product’s environmental impact? Where’s the material coming from? How long will you use this? What will happen if it breaks, can it be fixed? Can it, ultimately, be recycled?
Think about what you’re selling.
How was it made? What’s being done to reduce the product’s climate impact? What's being done to reduce the product’s environmental impact? Where’s the material coming from? How long will you offer this? What will happen if it breaks, can it be fixed? Can it, ultimately, be recycled?
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