Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder I was in retail loss prevention for over 22 years, from 1978 to 2000. We never called it "Black Friday". Maybe we muttered a few epithets under our breath about working, but it was always the Day After Thanksgiving Sale, which officially kicked off the Holiday season. In the last several years it seems people want to name or label everything, whether it needs it or not, from "Breaking News" to "Black Friday". Just doesn't seem right. And for the record, this business about opening on Thanksgiving for retailers is just greed run amok. So there. Get off my lawn.
Originally Posted By hopemax According to Wikipedia, publications in Philadelphia began using the term in the 60's. But it stayed a regional term for quite awhile. I don't think it went into widespread use into the late 90's/early 2000's though. I remember talking about it during the Disney Bean Bag Plush giveaways in the 98/99/00 time period. I googled and found people talking about what was on their BF lists in 2001, and a usenet post from 1999.
Originally Posted By ecdc >>And for the record, this business about opening on Thanksgiving for retailers is just greed run amok. So there. Get off my lawn.<< + a gagillion I will be at work today. People will call up for help with their cell phone that they can't apparently live without for a day, and without a hint of irony, will ask, "Why do you have to work today?"
Originally Posted By rockcow1 Black friday was a book keeping term that retailers used. It is the day they went from being in the "red" to being in the "black". This is the day retailers start making a profit. Booking would use red ink for what they owe and black ink for profit. Retailers make 40-50% of the years profit this time of year. Retailers wanted to get people out of the house to shop. So now we have all this craziness!
Originally Posted By melekalikimaka I remember hearing about it in my high school marketing/DECA class in '87 in Oregon.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA All I think of is the Steely Dan hit of the same name <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MvVzlGZ9aY&sns=em" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...Y&sns=em</a> Enjoy
Originally Posted By oc_dean Seems the coined phrase began to be used heavily in the early '00s ... and now .. it's just ridiculous. The way it's used now ... you'd think it's been used for a hundred years. >>In the last several years it seems people want to name or label everything, whether it needs it or not, from "Breaking News" to "Black Friday". Just doesn't seem right.<< Yeah - No shi... shikes! There are some things in life the modern world could live without .. and stupid terms like "Black Friday" .. and these ridiculous camp-outs for days, that some think are far more important than having a nice Thanksgiving Meal in the comfort of their own home. Another is - "The OC." OH ... PLEASE! Just call it "Orange County" or simply "OC" for god's sake. It sounds so trite and pretentious! Lets not make Orange County any more pretentious. But why call it BLACK Friday? "Black" makes it sound like it's a bad thing. In a way it is .. because some people would rather ruin their time off work, ruin a relaxing Thanksgiving holiday at home ... for camping out on a cold concrete store front, and storm a shop in pandemonium! It's not like it's the only sale day for the entire Christmas Shopping Season. That's just Retail Consumerism gone too far!
Originally Posted By DlandDug Funny-- we were having a similar conversation here on LaughingPlace seven years ago: <a href="http://mb.laughingplace.com/MsgBoard-T-69822-P-1.asp" target="_blank">http://mb.laughingplace.com/Ms...-P-1.asp</a>
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< Another is - "The OC." OH ... PLEASE! Just call it "Orange County" or simply "OC" for god's sake. It sounds so trite and pretentious! >>> And while you're at it, why not remove the "the" from the front of every freeway in SoCal?
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>Funny-- we were having a similar conversation here on LaughingPlace seven years ago<< Note that my brother from another mother Jim and I both thought of the Steely Dan song. LOL!
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>But why call it BLACK Friday?<< If you work in retail, I think the term probably has dual meanings. In the "black" ink in bookkeeping terms, but facing the onslaught of crazed Black Friday shoppers is ominous, too. Next Monday is "Cyber Monday" -- a very 90's sounding phrase that, hype aside, I doubt is a big deal anymore since most people have good Internet connections at home and on smart phones, not relying on their work computers as they did back then. Used to be that people returning from the Thanksgiving holiday would start ordering stuff on that Monday, resulting in a big bump for online sales.
Originally Posted By oc_dean What was pure fantasy in a 1963 film .. is now just plain - REALITY! ....... <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nROMRVUhXuY" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...MRVUhXuY</a>
Originally Posted By oc_dean I discovered this charming film on KTLA5 in the 70s. Little did I know at that time ... That was the future!
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA <Note that my brother from another mother Jim and I both thought of the Steely Dan song. LOL!> I don't recall any retailer using the song for their 'Black Friday' sale. I'm guessing Donald Fagen doesn't license his songs out in that way. But who knows? Never thought I'd hear 'Mr. Blue Sky' hawking merchandise either.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Thanks for sharing that movie clip, oc_dean. I love the woman in the pink dress -- around :50 who dives head first over the clothing rack. Hilarious!
Originally Posted By oc_dean It's pretty hysterical Jim. I'm going to have to have this for DVD. Preferably in Bluray .. but I doubt this charming movie will be issued in the high resolution format. But .. ohhhh .. what performances!! Along with Agnes Moorehood. I haven't seen it since the 70s. Never forgot it! Perfect to mention, in this topic.
Originally Posted By WilliamK99 Looking at the ads online, it seems retailers are ripping people off, as for the most part these "deals" aren't that good. I mean you have some OK deals, but nothing mind blowing and nothing worth beating the crap out of someone for.. I'd say the retail industry has successfully brainwashed a majority of Americans...
Originally Posted By melekalikimaka Stores are putting advertising a great deal on things and in the tiny print guarantee that each store will have *1* in stock. It's basically bait and switch but they cover their butts. Or they pass out tickets in advance to people and only allow those people to purchase the items. I'm torn...I don't think saving a few dollars is worth what these people are going through but they all know what it's going to be like. I kind of feel like they deserve whatever hell they go through.
