Do the preparation task first. Then read the article and do the exercises.
Preparation
What is Black Friday?
Black Friday is the day after the American holiday of Thanksgiving, which is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. Because it is a holiday in the United States, it has long been a popular day for consumers to start shopping for Christmas. Over the last 20 years big retailers have started to offer discounts and bargains on this day, and it has become more and more popular. Last year, people in the USA spent an estimated $54.7 billion between Black Friday and Cyber Monday (the Monday after Thanksgiving, when people often buy more online). The idea of Black Friday has also spread around the world. For example, in 2017, people in the UK spent the equivalent of $10.3 billion, in Germany $7.6 billion and in France $6.2 billion.
Is Black Friday out of control?
Many of us love to get a bargain, but some feel that events like Black Friday encourage people to buy things that they don’t really need and can’t afford. Many people seem to completely lose control of both their spending and their tempers. It is easy to find video online of customers physically fighting each other over bargains. It is also argued that Black Friday is bad for small shopkeepers, who cannot afford to offer the kinds of price cuts that the big companies can.
What’s the alternative to Black Friday?
Instead of taking the opportunity to buy as much as possible on Black Friday, you could do the opposite and buy absolutely nothing. Since 1997, Buy Nothing Day has been held on the same day as Black Friday. The rules are simple. Just don’t buy anything at all for 24 hours. Many people are surprised how difficult this actually is. The aim is to make people think more about their spending and to make better decisions about what they buy and where they buy it from.
Ethical spending
As well as spending less and not buying unnecessary items, Buy Nothing Day aims to raise awareness of how to be a more ethical consumer. For example, you can avoid buying ‘fast fashion’, that is, very cheap clothes that are worn a few times before being thrown away. Or you could decide not to automatically upgrade your mobile at the end of a contract. These kinds of decisions can help to protect the environment as well as saving you money.
What else can you do on Buy Nothing Day?
Some people carry out protests at shopping centres. Others avoid the shops completely and go for a walk in nature instead. Another alternative, the Buy Nothing Coat Exchange, is an idea which is spreading. People donate winter coats throughout November and anyone who needs one can come and take one on Buy Nothing Day.
this year, in black friday, i bought a lot of things that weren't in my mind before.Because of the limited time to buy and limited items available, that makes you rush so maybe you buy something you don't really want at that time but you purchase it only because it's on discount so that makes you feel like you are doing great deals .The feeling of satisfaction keep you scrolling on Amazon and other website to get more bargains.I think everyone should be conscious about this day that it's a way that keepshopper use to target customers and make them think they are doing right.
In my opinion both, Black Friday and Buy Nothing Day are very interesting, to be honest I'm not much of a consumer but if I see a discount on something I need, I'm going to buy it. Why not?, if I really need it and it's something I'm going to use for many years, I think it's worth it
For me, Buy Nothing Day is more interesting because we often buy things or clothes that we don't need. In my country Black Friday is not popular as many prices don't change on that day. This is a very bargain for retailers since people buy more products on Black Friday then on other days.
I think that if a retailer can apply a significant discount, it's because the price isn't right from the beginning. Because even with a discount, the big retailers, the big groups, make a margin. So the starting price is exorbitant. So they're making a joke of us from the outset. With a fair price, often with small retailers, craftsmen, there's not much of a margin. I prefer to have a fair price and no discount. Discounts are a false good idea.
As a worker in E-commerce industry, black Friday has always being the busiest day in the whole year in My company, like 11.11 in China. However, to better preparing goods and delivering every good precisely and quickly, most shopkeeper are trying to extend the "lifecycle" of black Friday, So i believe the black Friday is more like a symbol of shopping today.
I think that Black Friday is the day to buy things that we need for a lower price but don't have money to buy them for the normal price, without gifts or discounts. Buy Nothing Day is a good idea to make us think about our decisions concerning our money and if we really need the things that we are buying.
I definitely do not agree with spending money on unnecessary items, and "buying nothing day" is not a bad idea after all. My advice is we can invest our money in education, we can help organizations for charity, and the rest of our money we can save it.
Actually, I do not agree with "buying nothing day" due to we always can do something better with our money as long as we are conscious.
Hi
In my opinion, I see that Black Friday is a great opportunity to buy things that you need it but you can't afford there actual price , so black friday is the solution.
I agree that some people haven't control on there self to buy everything maybe they really don't need it .
Actually, I think the black friday's day is a great opportunity to buy things that you need. People have to understand that it isn't necessary buy things that they don´t need or can't afford. For example, these year I need a support for my computer, I need that and nothing else, That's why I will buy it.