Lexi Kokosa ’26
EE Staff Writer
As the holiday shopping season starts, two retail events, Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, take the stage, offering shoppers a chance to score major discounts while sparking a broader conversation about retail and consumerism’s future. Each has its own unique appeal, and as they grow in importance, the competition between these two shopping days has become more intense.
Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, has been unofficially considered the start of the holiday shopping season for years. Originally a day of large discounts in big corporate businesses, it has since grown to be a nationwide event where both in-store and online sellers offer doorbusters and deep markdowns across a range of products. Retailers like Walmart, Target, and Amazon have made Black Friday synonymous with humongous discounts on electronics, clothing, toys, and more.
Despite the longstanding tradition, Black Friday receives a lot of criticism, for multiple reasons. One, it seems to overshadow the spirit of Thanksgiving, with stores dropping big sales before Thanksgiving happens, resulting in employees getting less family time. As well as that, the environmental factor is getting backlash, with a massive amount of consumer products being produced in unethical ways to meet high demand.
No matter, Black Friday continues as an enormous economic driver, gaining billions of dollars in sales per year. Online shopping especially has helped to grow the event, allowing Black Friday shoppers to participate from the comfort of their own homes.
In a response to the huge success of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday was created in 2010 by American Express as a way to encourage consumers to support their local businesses. On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, the event is meant to focus on the heart of local economies, small shops that often struggle to compete with the deep discounts of major retailers.
The idea is really simple: when you shop at local stores, the consumers can help their communities thrive. Unlike large chains, small businesses regularly rely on loyal customers, and offer unique products and personalized customer service. For the local economies, it can make a large difference. Studies show that when consumers spend money at local businesses, a large portion of the money is put back into the community, which allows for more jobs and greater community investment.
Both days play an important role in the retail calendar, offering unique benefits to businesses and consumers. However, as the world economy continues to grow, the future of these events stays uncertain. In the meantime, consumers have the power to choose where they shop, and with the rise of Small business Saturday, many find that shopping locally not only feels good, but it also supports the heart of their community.
Black Friday and Small Business Saturday may be in competition for shoppers money, but both offer their own uniqueness in today’s retail landscape. Whether it’s the thrill of getting a big discount or the joy of supporting your community, these events both help define the American shopping experience. So, whether you find yourself braving the chaos of Black Friday or strolling through charming streets on Small business Saturday, one thing is clear, it’s the season of giving and all purchases count.
Photo courtesy: Nacho Doce / Reuters via NBCNews.com