Do Black Friday Specials Really Serve the Consumer

This weekend I had planned to awaken at 3 am, rush off to my local Best Buy, and obtain one of the amazing deals being offered. In the process, I fully expected to pick up one or two other things, if the pricing seemed enticing. Unfortunately, the entire Black Friday phenomenon came to a crashing halt when I drove by Best Buy on Thanksgiving evening, around 8 pm, and found literally over a hundred people already in line. Already.

Being a well informed shopper, I'm aware that limited supplies exist of the amazing deals. Doing a quick calculus, I decided that by the time I was willing to arrive, say around 3:15 am, that line would be at least twice it's current length......lending me to believe my probability of scoring that deal was remote in the extreme. I did not make the attempt.

While anecdotal, the story bears paying attention to in retail marketing sessions. Who, exactly is it that camps out for these stellar savings? Is this customer valuable? Do they buy other, less deeply discounted items? I am beginning to believe that the answer is becoming "NO". I think, instead, that many of the line-campers are simply deal shoppers, there for a specific item. Not for their holiday lists.

I had no sense, in Best Buy, that the entire store was on sale, or that excitement existed for the store.....only for the limited quantity treasures everyone was hunting. By 8 am on Friday, the store was virtually empty. I asked some associates if it had been madness, and aside from the initial crush, the answer was no.

Is this the recession, or an inevitable life cycle on what truly is a promotional gimmick? The later, I think. Who is being served by limited quantities of outrageously low priced merchandise? Is brand loyalty being built, enhanced or developed? Lacking the research, I cannot say. However, I will argue that the time is NOW to actually do some research and find out if this tactic has run it's course.