Black Friday minus seven and counting
It's just one week until the Friday after Thanksgiving (aka Black Friday, so-named because it is the day when retailers "go into the black", that is, make a profit) when US retailers go all out to capture holiday shoppers. I never really thought much about Black Friday until I started working in marketing, but like almost every other marketing activity, these sales involve a huge amount of preparation, creative work, and production in advance of the big day. And guess what -- some of the information leaks out in advance of the day.
Despite the threats of lawsuits for copyright violation, the Web site Black Friday Ads (bfads.net), manages to post many of the sales in advance of the day. One major innovation in this year's Black Friday sales is that while in the past retailers have opened at 5 am on Black Friday, some retailers like CompUSA and BJ's Wholesale Club are going to open at midnight to capture early birds and night owls alike. All I can say is that you've got to feel sorry for the people who work those stores and will have to prop open their eyelids with toothpicks as they prepare for the busiest and longest shopping day of their year. Let's hope this phenomenon is a one-time event.
All this said, rumor has it that there are going to be some pretty amazing deals on Black Friday. In past years, we've marveled at sub-$1,000 42-inch plasma displays; this year, Sears is offering a sub-$1,000 46-inch flat-panel TV, and Micro Center is offering a 42-inch Akai Plasma for $699.99. On computer gear, CompUSA is offering an Envision 22-inch LCD monitor for $149.99 after $130 in rebates, and Dell is selling a dual-core Dimension 531 with 24-inch LCD monitor for $659 with a $100 gift card to boot. And the list goes on.
As in previous years, we'll be counting the advertising pages in our local Boston Globe on Thanksgiving Day to gauge how robust the Black Friday ad budgets are. But there's an added benefit for Apple buyers: Not only will Apple be having its own Black Friday specials in Apple Stores, but rumor has it that Best Buy will be authorized to carry iPhones for sale for its Black Friday sales. That may be a long shot, but given Apple's penchant for marketing, you can bet it isn't going to be left out of the holiday rush.
Despite the threats of lawsuits for copyright violation, the Web site Black Friday Ads (bfads.net), manages to post many of the sales in advance of the day. One major innovation in this year's Black Friday sales is that while in the past retailers have opened at 5 am on Black Friday, some retailers like CompUSA and BJ's Wholesale Club are going to open at midnight to capture early birds and night owls alike. All I can say is that you've got to feel sorry for the people who work those stores and will have to prop open their eyelids with toothpicks as they prepare for the busiest and longest shopping day of their year. Let's hope this phenomenon is a one-time event.
All this said, rumor has it that there are going to be some pretty amazing deals on Black Friday. In past years, we've marveled at sub-$1,000 42-inch plasma displays; this year, Sears is offering a sub-$1,000 46-inch flat-panel TV, and Micro Center is offering a 42-inch Akai Plasma for $699.99. On computer gear, CompUSA is offering an Envision 22-inch LCD monitor for $149.99 after $130 in rebates, and Dell is selling a dual-core Dimension 531 with 24-inch LCD monitor for $659 with a $100 gift card to boot. And the list goes on.
As in previous years, we'll be counting the advertising pages in our local Boston Globe on Thanksgiving Day to gauge how robust the Black Friday ad budgets are. But there's an added benefit for Apple buyers: Not only will Apple be having its own Black Friday specials in Apple Stores, but rumor has it that Best Buy will be authorized to carry iPhones for sale for its Black Friday sales. That may be a long shot, but given Apple's penchant for marketing, you can bet it isn't going to be left out of the holiday rush.
Technorati Tags: Apple, bfads.net, Black Friday, iPhone, Marketing, Micro Center, Sears
posted by Carl Howe at
9:42 AM
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