I waited until the next day to write because I know this day is so important for so many courageous entrepreneurs. I say it today, I was sick in November 2024 with the Black Friday exaggeration.
I am addressing commercial companies and all those who participate in their advertising operations. This year you went overboard with Black Friday. I insist, this year, you have exaggerated to the point of making us sick of Black Friday.
Black Friday, as the word says, is a specific day, a Friday. The concept comes from the United States, where this shopping day, the Black Friday, is part of the four days of festivities Thanksgiving.
I agree that this day must be announced in advance. I don’t mind that a day of shopping and bargains can stretch into a few days. I might even embrace the concept of “Black Friday week.”
One month!
But this year, I started to be inundated with emails announcing Black Friday from the first days of November. We were basically a month away from the actual date. Throughout the month of November, I lack words to describe the avalanche of advertising messages referring to this day of extraordinary opportunities.
Subscriptions, online shopping sites, stores, it’s as if every establishment I’ve done business with over the past five years has attacked me over Black Friday. I understand them trying. Excess nevertheless becomes counterproductive.
Too much is worse than not enough. Too many messages become pollution that we no longer look at. If you pester me with Black Friday three, four weeks in advance, I’ll be jaded when the day comes.
Credible deals?
Then there is credibility. We must convince ourselves of the existence of real bargains. I know there are real ones on this day. Forgive me, but a message diluted over several weeks will tend to convince me that these are minor, very ordinary discounts. If the discounts are available for so long, say all month, let’s say in my head that has become the new regular price. And not a tempting opportunity.
I understand that for merchants, this time of year is crucial. Missing your holiday season potentially puts your business at risk. The temptation is therefore great to leave before the others. And by wanting to all take off first, we end up shouting Black Friday too soon.
Honestly, the game turned ridiculous. If we continue, we will no longer have to talk about Black Friday but about the month of Crazy November. So what? To position ourselves for November, will we start announcing Crazy November at the end of September? This one-upmanship only leads to an absurdity that makes the consumer cynical.
The whole idea of these event days is to keep the meaning of the event, its unique character, its particular appeal. Spread over a month, you put water in the soup!
