Black Friday and Buy Nothing Day
Do the preparation task first. Then read the article and do the exercises.
Preparation
What is Black Friday?
Black Friday is the day after the American holiday of Thanksgiving, which is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. Because it’s a holiday in the United States, it has long been a popular day for consumers to start shopping for Christmas. In the 1980s, big retailers started to offer discounts and bargains on this day, and it has become more and more popular. In the USA, people spend billions of dollars between Black Friday and Cyber Monday (the Monday after Black Friday, when online retailers offer discounts). The idea of Black Friday has also spread around the world. Many countries, including the UK and Canada, also hold Black Friday sales. In parts of the Middle East, the same idea is called ‘White Friday’, as the colour white has more positive cultural associations. In Turkey, shoppers look for bargains on Efsane Cuma or ‘Legendary Friday’.
Is Black Friday out of control?
Many of us enjoy getting a bargain, but some people think that Black Friday encourages us to buy things we don’t really need or can’t afford. Some critics also say that Black Friday is difficult for small shopkeepers because they can’t offer the same big discounts as large companies, especially now that big shops start their sales earlier and continue them for several weeks. There is also growing concern about the effects of consumerism on the planet.
What’s the alternative to Black Friday?
Instead of taking the opportunity to buy as much as possible on Black Friday, you could do the opposite and buy absolutely nothing. Movements like ‘Buy Nothing Day’ and ‘Green Friday’ encourage people to support charities or local communities instead of shopping. Since 1997, Buy Nothing Day has been held on the same day as Black Friday. The rules are simple. Just don’t buy anything at all for 24 hours. Many people are surprised how difficult this actually is. The aim is to make people think more about their spending and to make better decisions about what they buy and where they buy it from.
Ethical spending
As well as spending less and not buying unnecessary items, Buy Nothing Day aims to raise awareness of how to be a more ethical consumer. For example, you can avoid buying ‘fast fashion’, that is, very cheap clothes that are worn a few times before being thrown away. Or you could decide not to automatically upgrade your mobile at the end of a contract. These kinds of decisions can help to protect the environment as well as saving you money.
What else can you do on Buy Nothing Day?
Some people carry out protests at shopping centres. Others avoid the shops completely and go for a walk in nature instead. Another alternative, the Buy Nothing Coat Exchange, is an idea that is spreading. People donate winter coats throughout November, and anyone who needs one can come and take one on Buy Nothing Day.
I Will buy nothing this year for Black Friday because i don't really need something and I think Black Friday is a good opportunity to buy some things for a discounted price but only if you really need something because otherwhise you will waste your money on stuff that you don't need.
On Black Friday I will just stay home. Maybe I look online a bit, but I don’t really want to buy something. On Buy Nothing Day I want to try buying nothing, just to see if I really need anything.
I think many people buy stuff they don’t need and sometimes they can’t even pay for it. There are so many ads and they make everything look cool, so people buy too fast. I think it’s better to think first before you buy something. It also means you don’t make so much waste. Sometimes buying less actually makes you feel better. It helps you focus on what really matters.
I would buy the things that I truly need and avoid spending money on items that have no real value or purpose in my life. By focusing on necessities and being mindful of my purchases, I can save more money and use it for things that actually matter to me, such as important goals or future plans. When it comes to other people buying things that I consider useless, I don’t really have a strong opinion. Everyone has different priorities, interests, and reasons for spending their money the way they do, and I respect that. It’s their personal choice, and what may seem unnecessary to me might bring them joy, convenience, or satisfaction.
I think that Black Friday is a day where a lot of people buy things. I think it's a good opportunity for someone that needs something. I will buy something if I really need and I would think about it. I understand that some people buy things they can't afford because it's really seductive.
This year on black friday i will buy something expensive that i have been wanting to buy for a long time. I don't understand people that will spend their money on stuff they don't need. I think people who can't afford expensive stuff defenitly don't need this, they should pay attention to what they buy and buy inmportant stuff first.
this year, in black friday, i bought a lot of things that weren't in my mind before.Because of the limited time to buy and limited items available, that makes you rush so maybe you buy something you don't really want at that time but you purchase it only because it's on discount so that makes you feel like you are doing great deals .The feeling of satisfaction keep you scrolling on Amazon and other website to get more bargains.I think everyone should be conscious about this day that it's a way that keepshopper use to target customers and make them think they are doing right.
In my opinion both, Black Friday and Buy Nothing Day are very interesting, to be honest I'm not much of a consumer but if I see a discount on something I need, I'm going to buy it. Why not?, if I really need it and it's something I'm going to use for many years, I think it's worth it
For me, Buy Nothing Day is more interesting because we often buy things or clothes that we don't need. In my country Black Friday is not popular as many prices don't change on that day. This is a very bargain for retailers since people buy more products on Black Friday then on other days.
I think that if a retailer can apply a significant discount, it's because the price isn't right from the beginning. Because even with a discount, the big retailers, the big groups, make a margin. So the starting price is exorbitant. So they're making a joke of us from the outset. With a fair price, often with small retailers, craftsmen, there's not much of a margin. I prefer to have a fair price and no discount. Discounts are a false good idea.
As a worker in E-commerce industry, black Friday has always being the busiest day in the whole year in My company, like 11.11 in China. However, to better preparing goods and delivering every good precisely and quickly, most shopkeeper are trying to extend the "lifecycle" of black Friday, So i believe the black Friday is more like a symbol of shopping today.