Does My Brand Have to Participate in Black Friday?

 

Does my brand have to participate in Black Friday?

Each year, the day after thanksgiving marks that largest shopping day in the United States. Known as Black Friday, this frenzy of shopping for the holiday season is complimented by deep discounts and lightning deals provided to consumers from brands and retailers. The ubiquity of this holiday is clear and there is a now an expectation from consumers that all brands will participate in some form. Certainly, this makes sense for seasonal brands to jumpstart their sales season but do we all have to partake?

In recent years, some have spoken out against this holiday. Calls of over consumption and environmental waste are now brought into the discussion as cons against this shopping frenzy. This year in particular, there is a movement call “Make Friday Green Again”, which is a coalition of brands who are pledging to not participate in black Friday sales. While currently still small, this type of movement is gaining traction and provides a reason for brands to not participate in black Friday. As always, you need to understand what is best for your brand and the consumer. Seasonal products may have no choice but to kick start their sales on black Friday, while sustainably focused brands may find it better to align with the values of a movement like “Make Friday Green Again.” Either way, despite Covid-19, we are likely to see record numbers this year for black Friday shopping.