Black Friday vs Cyber Monday

As the holidays draw near, so does the season of exchanging gifts. This brings along the highly anticipated yearly traditions of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which are opportunities for massive sales on products from various stores and name brands.

Black Friday originated in the 1950s as the day after Thanksgiving. In the past, it was always seen as a day of great deals but also great mayhem; police officers used the term “Black Friday” to describe the chaos created by shoppers following Thanksgiving. However, many brands, in recent years, provided opportunities to shop online from the comfort of your home, minimizing the typical in-store frenzy. Evolving the holiday into more than just in-person chaos and deals but an accessible holiday from a single device.

In 2005, Cyber Monday was introduced after retailers noticed shoppers would continuously buy online after Black Friday and make more last-minute purchases. This allowed online businesses to flourish and gave customers more shopping flexibility, especially if they missed the opportunity to shop for Black Friday deals in person.

This introduces a debate about which is better: Black Friday or Cyber Monday. Of course, there’s the argument that Black Friday allows you to shop in person, but Cyber Monday is more efficient and organized for anyone wanting to avoid the in-person chaos.

Karis Church, a sophomore, points out that online shopping has improved vastly, specifically during Cyber Monday. She believes Cyber Monday is one of the most significant discount events, and deals online are often “better than they used to be.”

Ms. Petrich, DP Math teacher at Meridian, says she enjoyed Black Friday when she was younger because of its fun spirit, but now it’s less about the spirit and more about the “money grab.” When comparing Cyber Monday to Black Friday, Petrich replied, “I’m always a little bit skeptical about how great the deals are, but yeah, I do feel Cyber Monday is better for current times.” 

With countless retailers participating, you can indulge in luxury items or snag unique gifts at reduced prices, ensuring you can celebrate the season without overspending. So whether you shop online or in-store, these sales are an exciting opportunity to score amazing deals for yourself and your loved ones!