# The Lie of Black Friday **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 13, 2023, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lie-of-black-friday/993077 "2023-11-13T17:54:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![epbrown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47774/32.png) [@epbrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2023, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lie-of-black-friday/993077/1 "2023-11-13T17:54:20Z")
Just bought something that is a “Black Friday” deal. It was an excellent deal - I haven’t seen the price beaten anywhere. But it’s two weeks before it’s actually Black Friday… and this was **the last one in stock**. And since this deal started at noon and less than an hour later every store in town now shows “out of stock” it looks like every location only had **one**. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2023, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lie-of-black-friday/993077/2 "2023-11-13T17:55:13Z")
Goddammit I was just clicking “buy” when you took that. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2023, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lie-of-black-friday/993077/3 "2023-11-13T18:38:15Z")
When are they getting more in? Cuz whatever it is, I want one now. mmm ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2023, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lie-of-black-friday/993077/4 "2023-11-13T18:41:47Z")
It’s a good thing I ordered the two I wanted yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47774/32.png) [@epbrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2023, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lie-of-black-friday/993077/5 "2023-11-13T19:04:59Z")
Following tradition, they’ll have a bunch for sale for half what I paid 2 weeks after Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2023, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lie-of-black-friday/993077/6 "2023-11-13T19:10:56Z")
If they can sell things at these prices in November, aren’t they overcharging you the rest of the year? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2023, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lie-of-black-friday/993077/7 "2023-11-13T19:30:15Z")
You’re lucky. I was going to get the last one but I had to run upstairs for my credit card. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2023, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lie-of-black-friday/993077/8 "2023-11-13T19:39:52Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > You’re lucky. I was going to get the last one but I had to run upstairs for my credit card Well, a pro tip about that. Just leave your credit card on file with every single website, you’ll get everything you want and then some. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2023, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lie-of-black-friday/993077/9 "2023-11-13T20:01:55Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > …you’ll get everything you want and then some. Really, you’ll get everything you deserve and then some. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2023, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lie-of-black-friday/993077/10 "2023-11-13T20:40:56Z")
Not to worry - [it’s back in stock!](https://www.amazon.com/Caledonian-Kitchen-Premium-Vegetarian-Haggis/dp/B08KSMBDJG/ref=sr_1_7?crid=TPATBB9QESC5&keywords=haggis+barbecue&qid=1699907965&sprefix=haggis+barbecue%2Caps%2C223&sr=8-7) Delivery cost is a bit steep, though. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2023, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lie-of-black-friday/993077/11 "2023-11-13T22:48:05Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > If they can sell things at these prices in November, aren’t they overcharging you the rest of the year? I wonder about that. My brother, decades ago, owned a jewelry shop and I asked him about the constant “50% off everything in the shop” sales that I saw at jewelers. He told me that his markup was 100-200% of his costs and that he would still make a small profit selling at 50% of ticket price. He also said, “Go in and see if you can buy a watch during one of those sales. There won’t be any in store because the markup on watches is tiny.” ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2023, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lie-of-black-friday/993077/12 "2023-11-14T06:06:48Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Not to worry - [it’s back in stock!](https://www.amazon.com/Caledonian-Kitchen-Premium-Vegetarian-Haggis/dp/B08KSMBDJG/ref=sr_1_7?crid=TPATBB9QESC5&keywords=haggis+barbecue&qid=1699907965&sprefix=haggis+barbecue%2Caps%2C223&sr=8-7) I bet that would give you the most interesting poop of your life. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2023, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lie-of-black-friday/993077/13 "2023-11-14T14:48:07Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > If they can sell things at these prices in November, aren’t they overcharging you the rest of the year? In theory, no, because they have a lower volume of sales during the rest of the year. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47774/32.png) [@epbrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2023, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lie-of-black-friday/993077/14 "2023-11-14T16:07:16Z")
I didn’t say what I bought because the phenomenon is more than just that item, but also because people are people and would think “You think you got a great deal? Challenge accepted!” and devolve into links for a used broken one on Facebook for less. It’s sort of inspiring that people did that even without knowing what it was. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2023, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lie-of-black-friday/993077/15 "2023-11-14T19:36:11Z")
> [@epbrown](#): > > I didn’t say what I bought because the phenomenon is more than just that item, but also because people are people and would think “You think you got a great deal? Challenge accepted!” and devolve into links for a used broken one on Facebook for less. I might be tempted to buy a used vegetarian haggis off of Facebook under the right circumstances. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2023, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lie-of-black-friday/993077/16 "2023-11-15T05:13:00Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > My brother, decades ago, owned a jewelry shop and I asked him about the constant “50% off everything in the shop” sales that I saw at jewelers. I knew someone who had a store selling music boxes. He said that they did the vast majority of their sales around Christmas and would happy to shut down for 10 months of the year, but the mall wouldn’t let them. I wonder what how the seaonal sales are at jewelers. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2023, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lie-of-black-friday/993077/17 "2023-11-16T16:47:17Z")
I wonder if they moved it two days later there would be discounts on Goodyear blimps. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2023, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lie-of-black-friday/993077/18 "2023-11-16T19:50:44Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > I wonder if they moved it two days later there would be discounts on Goodyear blimps Or plastique. ---
**Author:** ![jjakucyk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3d9bf3/32.png) [@jjakucyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjakucyk)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2023, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lie-of-black-friday/993077/19 "2023-11-20T19:33:01Z")
> [@epbrown](#): > > less than an hour later every store in town now shows “out of stock” it looks like every location only had **one** That’s not actually uncommon or necessarily nefarious. Online stores, bike shops for example, may not have much (or sometimes any) of their own inventory and are just resellers for the same wholesale warehouse. So if you buy the last item from shop X then it’ll disappear from shops Q, Y, and Z since that item was coming from the same wholesaler . Other products like down jackets, think The North Face, Marmot, Mountain Hardware, Rab, etc., may only do small production runs, such that they their own inventory and their resellers inventory gradually depletes. Will they do another manufacturing run? Will they change SKU’s to something different? Will they mix up the product line completely? When? I actually reached out to Rab once to ask, because I couldn’t find a particular jacket I liked in my size in August, and they said they were going to do another production run in October. Sure enough they all got stocked up again, but it can be tricky to tell if something is discontinued (last one available, forever!), or just backordered (last one available, for the next six weeks). ---
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2023, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lie-of-black-friday/993077/20 "2023-11-21T16:49:52Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > I might be tempted to buy a used vegetarian haggis off of Facebook under the right circumstances. How would you tell it was used? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lie-of-black-friday/993077.md?page=2)