Gone are the days of long lines in front of stores on Thanksgiving evening and fighting fellow shoppers for the item of your choice. Due to the evolution of the digital age and the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on in-store shopping, online retail has been thriving; therefore, much of what Black Friday used to be has now been replaced with Cyber Monday, which has also evolved into Cyber Weekend. Aside from going online, Black Friday shopping has also seen a decrease in sales and deals, with brands becoming more conscious of the dangers of mass consumerism.
Despite the convenience of online shopping, Cyber Weekend presents some caveats to fashion purchases. Without being able to see the item in real life, consumers have no way of knowing the real color, material and quality of the piece they are purchasing. When shopping is as easy as clicking a few buttons, it is much easier for buyers to make poor decisions based on impulse instead of proper thought, leading to wasted money and resources. Environmentalism has been a great focus of the fashion industry lately, so perhaps the reduction in sales is a deliberate attempt to encourage the public to stay away from mass consumerism.
While some brands are offering less deals and paying closer attention to the environmental impacts of mass consumerism, others have taken an even stronger stance by stepping away from Black Friday entirely. For example, beauty brand The Ordinary has decided to close all of its stores, in-person and online, on Black Friday; as an alternative, it will offer a month-long 23-percent discount for buyers to make a considered purchase instead of an impulsive one. Luxury fashion has never been immersed in Black Friday deals in the first place, and with the trend of less deals to reduce hyper consumerism, this does not seem likely to change.
Despite the negative impacts it can cause, Black Friday is definitely not all bad. It signifies the beginning of the holiday season and is a prime opportunity to get good deals on fashion — have you been eyeing a piece for ages, hoping you’ll be able to add it to your wardrobe? Are you waiting for an opportunity to experiment with new styles but don’t want to break the bank? As an important part of the fashion world, Black Friday isn’t going away — but some changes are definitely needed.