Black Friday Madness

(Photo Courtesy of Google Images)

(Photo Courtesy of Google Images)

Every year Black Friday brings a wave of violence over material possessions. While some wait for Cyber Monday, many crazed Americans leave their Thanksgivings table to fight for their Christmas presents until the bitter end. Stores may seem prepared, what  with beefed up security and stocked shelves, but they are no match for the sheer amount of people barging through the doors determined to get that 50% off television.

 This determination can be dangerous when stores have limited stock of coveted items, a shortage which often leads to violence. This year in Reno, Nevada a man was gunned down over a dispute started by a parking spot, and this was just one of three deaths this past Friday. These were the first deaths on Black Friday since 2013, when a man was trampled to death my impatient shoppers. Death and injury have always been a threat to shoppers on Black Friday but that doesn’t stop them, this is supported by the record breaking sales statistics from this past Friday as well as the onslaught of YouTube videos displaying the madness.

Violence prevention has begun with many stores moving to online deals that are better or equivalent to the ones found in stores. Some stores, however, insisted on keeping doors open to feed their hungry customers with the anticipation and excitement that comes with the limited stock of products in stores. This madness could finally come to an end with stores creating better deals for their online customers to encourage Black Friday shoppers to stay at home. This solution is not probable though, due to the interest already mustered up about the excitement of the doors finally opening after the long wait. Black Friday mayhem will carry on next year with more injuries and possibly deaths purely because people love the rush.

Maybe the popular outdoor store REI has it all figured out, as the store doesn’t participate in any Black Friday sales. In fact, the store is closed on the whole day and encourages employees and customers alike to get outside, avoid the madness, and, unlike many of the angry shoppers this past year, take a hike.