What if they had a sale and no one showed up?

[len_mullen]

Just a couple days out from BF and I don't have a list.  I have not looked at ads.  I don't plan on going shopping.  A lot of people are telling me the same thing.

 

So, what happens if no one goes shopping on BF or CM?  My theory is that the stores end up with a lot of merchandise and scramble to sell everything before Christmas.  I suspect we would see dramatic markdowns increasing as Christmas approached.  That's how things worked when I was a kid and I would be happy if it became the norm again.  I remember my mother would drag me off to the stores a couple days before Christmas to snag the best deals.  My dad would buy The Gift -- usually during the summer -- and my mother would fill the living room with cheer.  Good times!

[setlok73]

I think those days are long gone though.  Even though some people won't shop, as we've read in the financials, people are just using their credit cards.  People don't want to change their lifestyles.  That was said with a large brush stroke and I know alot of us are cutting back and living within our means.  But there are far too many carrying balances.  Its easier to throw it on a card and worry about it later.    

 

So as long as that is happening, folks will always show up for the sales.  JMO

[cllehto]

I agree. I do think a lot of people are buying less even when using credit cards. You do still see a lot of stuff discounted right before the Holiday but everything is picked over by then and you might not find what you are looking for. A good time to shop if you are seeing people after Christmas instead of before is about a week after Christmas when stuff goes way down. lol

[Kanyon71]

I think things would go back to how they were if we would stop this month+ long sales garbage and actually have some good deals. 
 

Sad it's gone downhill. We may go to a store or two just because we always have but nothing we really need. 

[Kash]

I understand what you mean. With sales going on for so long (a month), and no real BF deep discounted deals, people may slow down on their buying. At least they’re impulse buying. Which may lead to stores having excess stock that they have to eventually sell cheaper. However, I’m not a last minute buyer so those last minute deals won’t tempt me. All this month long sales thing is doing for me is making me realize next year I need to just shop all year long on sales. Not wait till BF to spend my $$. It was nice to save up all year and then go spend it all in one day on the best deals (after comparing all the ads). But if I can’t compare then why wait?

[len_mullen]

5 hours ago, Kash said:

I understand what you mean. With sales going on for so long (a month), and no real BF deep discounted deals, people may slow down on their buying. At least they’re impulse buying. Which may lead to stores having excess stock that they have to eventually sell cheaper. However, I’m not a last minute buyer so those last minute deals won’t tempt me. All this month long sales thing is doing for me is making me realize next year I need to just shop all year long on sales. Not wait till BF to spend my $$. It was nice to save up all year and then go spend it all in one day on the best deals (after comparing all the ads). But if I can’t compare then why wait?

 

I don't think that is the problem.  I think we are all FULL.  The last TV I bought was a 75" Toshiba in 2021.  I didn't even nibble on the 3D TVs.  I keep my computers 10 years.  My phones at least four.  

[abentley]

I agree that people might be full, or at least with what they traditionally offer.  Life phases are an impact as well.  While I love the traditional matching pajamas, small appliances, and TV’s those aren’t anything I want to purchase.  
I would love to see the return of Black Friday. The month is sales is exhausting, or maybe I am just exhausted.  I haven’t seen a sale I got excited for in quite a while.  

[momlori]

I was thinking that I am just at a different spot in life where I am not looking for much anymore as my kids are grown but it seems others are feeling the same lack of excitement as well.  

[BFgrl79]

With sales lasting for so long, it doesn’t feel like things are really “Black Friday Exclusive” anymore. Back then you only had those one or two big days to grab deals. It was really an event! 

[tinkrbel]

Good question, I half expect the answer to be stock gets dumped to warehouse and sold at regular price (if unable to return to manufacturer) since I think stores are ordering less every year. I too have cut back drastically due to a mix of don't need much but also not willing to pay higher prices for worse quality. At this rate I'll probably NEED (i.e. current 10+ yo bag will cease to function/get a hole) a new carry on suitcase before I find one I like enough to spend the cash on.

 

Picked up a few pieces at Kohl's (mostly blankets for gifts) and Walmart (vinyl, sneakers and a mattress cover) and my mom will pop over to Home Depot BF while I stay home monitoring the pup. Checking out ads again today to see if I missed anything but not expecting to be ordering anything else except for Disney ornaments and even then I'm cautious, the last order I placed during a great sale was more than half cancelled due to items being out of stock about 2 weeks later.

[mgreen]

This is the first time, besides during the pandemic, that my sister and I  did not go out ANYWHERE on black friday. I sat home and watched football. This was for a combination of reasons...I too am at a stage where I  don't need a lot, but I  still managed to make quite a few purchases, but it was easier and less expensive to do so online. I can calculate discounts, cash back offers, rebates, etc from home and get free shipping. With the month long sales and lack of paper ads it's easier to do at your computer. If macys would have had their free items like they used to, I  probably would have went out,  lol.

[ilikefree]

On 11/22/2023 at 12:01 AM, BFgrl79 said:

With sales lasting for so long, it doesn’t feel like things are really “Black Friday Exclusive” anymore. Back then you only had those one or two big days to grab deals. It was really an event! 

I agree. Plus there weren't any great deals this year either. The prices that I saw were pretty much close to everyday prices.

[cinnamon16201]

I didn't go out anywhere to shop.  I did most everything online with a few items bought at the nearest outlet stores about a week before BF.  Our nearest big mall was packed and it made me exhausted just to look at the pictures that were being posted.  I have also picked up some things throughout the year.  We only have one daughter and SIL and 2 granddaughters to buy for, so no need for a lot of shopping.  Daughter makes an Amazon wish list for the granddaughters with a few for them.  I check out the items and then go shopping for the best deals, which are not necessarily on Amazon.

 

Used to shop at Staples, Best Buy and Target on BF but none of them had anything of interest to me.  The few DVDs that I wanted weren't on sale.  Plus they are on my Amazon wishlist, so DD or DH might get them for me.  I think I bought more for myself at the online small business craft stores plus a few clothes and a pair of shoes.  Just not into the BF craze any more.

[cllehto]

Some stores had few people in them on Black Friday. Maybe we'll find out. Probably they will just order less next year and items will be hard to find.