abfabsolutely

Nov. 22, 2011 at 3:11pm with 97 notes

Reblogged from putthison

looking back: the retail years Black Friday

putthison:

Black Friday: Skip It
This Friday will be Black Friday – the biggest sales day in America.
In my experience, Black Friday is never worth it. I think shopping should be a slow, relaxing, and pleasant experience. You should be able to casually peruse things and take a day, maybe even a week, to come to a decision. If you’re lucky enough to meet a salesperson who is knowledgable about what they’re selling, you should enjoy a chat a learn something about what you’re buying.
Black Friday is the opposite of this. It encourages impulsive shopping and feeds bargain addictions. Salespeople rarely have time to speak to you and people are often scrambling around for whatever they can grab. It’s better, I think, to stay at home and spend time with the family. Enjoy your comfy slippers, have some coffee, and maybe help bake some cookies. Come next Monday, there will be a ton of sales online anyway, and shopping from the comfort of your own home will be more pleasant than standing outside of a boutique at 7am.
If you insist on doing Black Friday, I suggest going to the stores today or tomorrow. If you see something you like, ask one of the Sales Associates if they’ll put it on hold for you until Friday. I’ve found many are willing to, and some will also happily take your credit card information and charge you Friday, thus allowing you to pick up the garment on Saturday, after the madness has ended.

As one who spent over a decade in career retail, I wholeheartedly endorse this.
Having survived years ‘behind the counter,’ I assure you that forcing oneself awake by 3 am on Black Friday in order to greet mobs of harried, hurried, and hostile shoppers during early store hours is simply soul-crushing. So if you choose to shop, please play nice. (Say thank you once in a while!). Remind yourself that most of the store staff is operating on little to no sleep and being choked at the throat by overwhelming corporate sales goals. (Often for very puny wages).
Personal time off, vacation requests, and weekend freedom are unilaterally sacrificed by anyone in the industry, typically from Halloween until after New Year’s week… during which time the same holiday muzak mix echoes throughout the store. After weeks of synthetic glitz and ‘modern remixes’ of christmas carols playing on loop, retail workers are desperate for authentic* holiday cheer. Please be kind.
(And be very careful in mall parking lots).
Thank you to PTO for the thoughtful advice.

*I personally can never listen to Peggy Lee’s ‘Fever’ again without associating it with an embarrassing hatred for humanity (and folding boards), which is a true shame. Sorry, Peggy.

Black Friday: Skip It

This Friday will be Black Friday – the biggest sales day in America.

In my experience, Black Friday is never worth it. I think shopping should be a slow, relaxing, and pleasant experience. You should be able to casually peruse things and take a day, maybe even a week, to come to a decision. If you’re lucky enough to meet a salesperson who is knowledgable about what they’re selling, you should enjoy a chat a learn something about what you’re buying.

Black Friday is the opposite of this. It encourages impulsive shopping and feeds bargain addictions. Salespeople rarely have time to speak to you and people are often scrambling around for whatever they can grab. It’s better, I think, to stay at home and spend time with the family. Enjoy your comfy slippers, have some coffee, and maybe help bake some cookies. Come next Monday, there will be a ton of sales online anyway, and shopping from the comfort of your own home will be more pleasant than standing outside of a boutique at 7am.

If you insist on doing Black Friday, I suggest going to the stores today or tomorrow. If you see something you like, ask one of the Sales Associates if they’ll put it on hold for you until Friday. I’ve found many are willing to, and some will also happily take your credit card information and charge you Friday, thus allowing you to pick up the garment on Saturday, after the madness has ended.

As one who spent over a decade in career retail, I wholeheartedly endorse this.

Having survived years ‘behind the counter,’ I assure you that forcing oneself awake by 3 am on Black Friday in order to greet mobs of harried, hurried, and hostile shoppers during early store hours is simply soul-crushing. So if you choose to shop, please play nice. (Say thank you once in a while!). Remind yourself that most of the store staff is operating on little to no sleep and being choked at the throat by overwhelming corporate sales goals. (Often for very puny wages).

Personal time off, vacation requests, and weekend freedom are unilaterally sacrificed by anyone in the industry, typically from Halloween until after New Year’s week… during which time the same holiday muzak mix echoes throughout the store. After weeks of synthetic glitz and ‘modern remixes’ of christmas carols playing on loop, retail workers are desperate for authentic* holiday cheer. Please be kind.

(And be very careful in mall parking lots).

Thank you to PTO for the thoughtful advice.

*I personally can never listen to Peggy Lee’s ‘Fever’ again without associating it with an embarrassing hatred for humanity (and folding boards), which is a true shame. Sorry, Peggy.