黑色星期五¶
Crazy Discounts on Black Friday in the UK
What is Black Friday?
Ten Ascending Meows (the speaker) had been ignorant of Black Friday until not long ago. Ten Ascending Meows has always been a homebody since childhood. Even before online shopping existed, Ten Ascending Meows would flip through catalogs and send money orders to strangers at the post office to buy things. At a young age, Ten Ascending Meows began unpacking packages. In addition, Ten Ascending Meows tends to stock up on items that are liked or needed, buying a lot at once and slowly using them at home. There was a time when Ten Ascending Meows bought over 10 pairs of the same shoes, different colors of pants, and countless socks. Of course, they were not expensive items, just things that were liked at the time, with the intention of slowly wearing them and saving time for shopping to play games and such. However, due to buying too much, Ten Ascending Meows is not good at organizing and would randomly throw things and forget where they were placed. Some pants of the same style and different colors are still brand new and unworn to this day... That's why, despite studying abroad for so long, Ten Ascending Meows only recently learned about Black Friday (this explanation is Ten Ascending Meows' forced interpretation).
Today, Ten Ascending Meows will provide some knowledge:)
What is Black Friday?
Black Friday originated in the United States and is now celebrated as a discount event in many countries worldwide, including the UK, Australia, and others. It primarily serves as an opportunity for people to do major shopping before Christmas because many stores are closed during the Christmas holiday. At the same time, businesses also aim to make a significant profit and increase their revenue. It's similar to the large-scale pre-New Year shopping in China, with businesses engaging in massive, intense promotions. However, the discounts on Black Friday are particularly crazy, just like China's Singles' Day (November 11), offering incredible deals where you won't be deceived if you make quick purchases.
Why is it called Black Friday?
It is called Black Friday because this day of crazy discounts falls on the last Friday of November each year. In 2019, Black Friday was on November 29th. Why is it set on the last Friday of November? It's because Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November every year, and the day after Thanksgiving is when people start preparing their shopping lists for Christmas and New Year.
So, why is it called "Black"?
In the past, when businesses kept their financial records, they would use red ink to indicate losses and black ink to indicate profits. Since the revenue on this Friday is significantly higher than usual, businesses hope to make substantial profits. Therefore, it is referred to as Black Friday.
Some might ask if Black Friday is similar to China's Singles' Day (Double Eleven). Well, Ten Ascending Meows believes that there are significant differences. First, the discounts on Black Friday are much more intense than those on China's Singles' Day, especially considering that it's not just regular brands but also luxury goods, cosmetics, electronics, and other branded items that are discounted. Moreover, it's not the kind of discount where prices are inflated before being reduced (although some businesses still employ this strategy)...
Furthermore, Black Friday discounts are not limited to online shopping; physical stores also offer crazy discounts. For example, Bicester Village would have additional discounts on top of the existing discounts. Stores like Currys, Amazon, Argos, Harrods, Selfridges, John Lewis, Debenhams, Boots, and many others that usually never have sales would also participate, even offering discounts on new arrivals.
Due to the tremendous discount offers, Black Friday attracts a massive crowd, with some customers even queuing overnight to secure their desired items. There have been instances of physical altercations over limited quantity products that quickly sell out.
Refer to the image below, depicting customers queuing overnight at store entrances during previous Black Fridays. Some even arrive in the afternoon on Thursday to secure a spot:
As shown in the picture, customers are eagerly making purchases. Look at their excited expressions. Wow, you can really buy things! So, would you like to join Ten Ascending Meows in shaking shoulders while making a purchase? You pay the bill, hahaha.
Wow, take a look at this move, a 70% off shopping spree...
Wow, customers are buying and buying like a mountain and a sea。。。
Wow, on this Black Friday, please don't call me "old granny," call me the "soulful little shopping pro."
。。。
Wow, in previous years, on Black Friday in the UK, the police would come with their sirens blaring.
。。。
Let me give you an example. Ten Ascending Meows was at a physical BOOTS store and found a Philips toothbrush that they liked. However, it was too expensive, and they couldn't bring themselves to buy it. The regular price was £139.99. They waited for a while until another discount holiday in the UK, like Boxing Day (which is another discounted holiday on December 26th), arrived. At that time, Ten Ascending Meows couldn't remember the exact holiday, but the toothbrush was discounted to just over £80, and they decided to make the purchase. However, on Black Friday, the price dropped to just over £60, and some early shoppers managed to get it for just over £50... Oh, Ten Ascending Meows was like: (
Look at the toothbrush in the picture below. See, it's right now, today. Look, it has started another round of discounts, lalala! :)
Let me give you an example. Ten Ascending Meows was at a physical BOOTS store and found a Philips toothbrush that was too expensive to buy. The regular price was £139.99. They waited for a while until another discount holiday in the UK, like Boxing Day (which is another discounted holiday on December 26th), arrived. At that time, Ten Ascending Meows couldn't remember the exact holiday, but the price was reduced to just over £80, and they decided to make the purchase. However, on Black Friday, the price dropped to just over £60, and some early shoppers managed to get it for just over £50... Oh, at that time, Ten Ascending Meows was like: (
Look at the toothbrush in the picture below. See, it's happening right now, today. Look, it has started another round of discounts, lalala! :)
Ten Ascending Meows reminds you:
Not every store will offer discounts on Black Friday. The atmosphere of Black Friday has influenced many established brands and even non-discounted stores. Brands like Dents may have promotions on that day, but not every store guarantees discounts. Therefore, it's a good idea to prepare a list of items you want to buy in advance, such as skincare products, health supplements, study tools, etc., as they are likely to be discounted. You can stock up on them beforehand.
The prices on Black Friday may not always be the lowest. Each store has different discounted products and offers, so it's advisable to select your preferred items in advance and keep an eye on their prices. Sometimes, pre-Black Friday promotions may offer even better deals. It's not necessary to wait until Black Friday. As they say, "the early bird catches the worm." You can evaluate and decide for yourself.
Online and offline discounts may vary. Different brands may offer different discounts online and in physical stores. Some stores may have more extensive online discounts, but you need to be quick and be prepared to compete during the early hours.
Online shopping is also an option. After experiencing several years of Black Friday in the UK, most customers have started to prefer online shopping, while a few still queue up in stores. However, if possible, it's better to opt for online shopping because physical stores are usually overcrowded and filled with people. Moreover, online discounts can sometimes be lower than in physical stores. Look at the images provided by Ten Ascending Meows. You can really give it a try.
If you're shopping online, make sure to test your internet speed in advance and prepare the corresponding website interface. Trust me, you'll find that as soon as the clock strikes midnight, within a few seconds, some products will be already out of stock.
One problem with online shopping is to confirm that the website you're logging into is the official and authentic one. Some websites may be phishing sites or sell counterfeit products.
Remember to read the terms and conditions before making a purchase. Some items may have a no-return policy, while others may have specific time frames for returns. This includes warranty periods, free replacements, inquiring about tax refunds in advance, and if you're shopping online, checking delivery times, shipping fees, and other details. Pay attention to these aspects in advance.
Don't worry if you couldn't buy anything on Black Friday; there's still Boxing Day, Christmas Day, and others. However, Ten Ascending Meows would like to remind you that some stores offer even lower discounts during the Christmas season, which can be cumulative discounts. But be aware that certain products may be limited in stock or sold out completely, and they won't be restocked. You'll need to assess this yourself, especially with clothing, jewelry, and similar items.
The duration of Black Friday discounts varies for each store. Some stores offer discounts only on Black Friday itself, while others extend their sales for a few days before or after Black Friday. Some may have a week-long sale starting on Black Friday. It varies from store to store, so it's important to keep an eye on the specific details.