# The US inflicts Black Friday on Britain **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 28, 2014, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-inflicts-black-friday-on-britain/705829 "2014-11-28T16:16:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-inflicts-black-friday-on-britain/705829/1 "2014-11-28T16:16:10Z")
We’re so, so sorry and apologize. I wouldn’t wish Black Friday on my worst enemy. CNN live has been cutting to mob scenes in Britain’s stores all morning. They don’t celebrate Thanksgiving holiday but they got stuck with the insanity of Black Friday. All I can say is, with time this day will pass. 😛 Much like when you’re constipated, the relief afterward is all the more appreciated… > **[Injuries, arrests as America's 'Black Friday' shopping tradition spreads to UK...](https://www.cnn.com/2014/11/28/world/europe/black-friday-uk/index.html?hpt=hp_c2)** > > Pleas for calm as U.S. tradition of “Black Friday” bargain-hunting hits UK: Police, medics called to supermarkets as fights break out amid crush of shoppers. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-inflicts-black-friday-on-britain/705829/2 "2014-11-28T16:18:34Z")
[Guardian story](http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/nov/28/black-friday-sales-police-attend-supermarkets-amid-scuffles#comment-44303373), and the commenters don’t seem real thrilled with the idea either. Since when have they been doing Black Friday in the UK? ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-inflicts-black-friday-on-britain/705829/3 "2014-11-28T16:50:17Z")
Wow, we really are the herpes of the world, aren’t we? I am so, so sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-inflicts-black-friday-on-britain/705829/4 "2014-11-28T16:59:18Z")
Don’t be sorry. If British retailers choose to adopt an American custom, it’s their own damned fault. They know that if people _think_ that there are great bargains today, they’ll shop even if they don’t really need anything. And they may not compare prices; a lot of stuff isn’t even all that cheap today. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-inflicts-black-friday-on-britain/705829/5 "2014-11-28T17:14:52Z")
For the first time this year I saw ads for “Black Friday” sales in Panama. Panama doesn’t celebrate Thanksgiving either. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-inflicts-black-friday-on-britain/705829/6 "2014-11-28T17:18:17Z")
According to the [Telegraph](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/11217839/Black-Friday-2014-Get-ready-for-the-biggest-online-shopping-day-in-history.html): > [@](#): > > In the UK, however, Black Friday meant little until 2010. Before then, the only knowledge most shoppers had about the US craze was the television images of consumers fighting to get into the leading stores, such as Macy’s in New York. The nearest phenomenon in the UK was Boxing Day and its ubiquitous sales. > > But the online shopping revolution and the rise of multinational retailers eventually brought Black Friday across the Atlantic. > > Four years ago, Amazon started offering Black Friday discounts in Britain. Year by year, its promotions became more widespread and other retailers joined in. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-inflicts-black-friday-on-britain/705829/7 "2014-11-28T17:21:51Z")
Well, Canadian thanksgiving was almost 7 weeks ago and Black Friday sales are really picking up here now. I can see the reason for it though, a lot of the sales are available on line. So, why lose out to the Yanks. People were lining up at 6:00 this morning. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-inflicts-black-friday-on-britain/705829/8 "2014-11-28T18:05:56Z")
Excellent! A whole new country of people I can feel smugly superior to from the comfort of my couch the day after Thanksgiving. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-inflicts-black-friday-on-britain/705829/9 "2014-11-28T18:52:57Z")
Supposedly back in the day, Christmas in the UK meant about 3 straight days of closed stores & closed gas stations to basically FORCE you keep your butt home and cook for yourselves (or to visit family and friends, if you had the gas). It was set aside as a time for things personal and away from things business. (At least, that’s how it was explained to me.) But if they have been infected with The Umbrella Corporation’s Black Friday, I know that this couldn’t possibly exist today. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-inflicts-black-friday-on-britain/705829/10 "2014-11-28T18:54:30Z")
Well, I guess we have to allow them to nuke LA to even the scales. (_Fail-Safe_, anyone?) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-inflicts-black-friday-on-britain/705829/11 "2014-11-28T19:02:46Z")
Inspired by [SeaDragonTattoo](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17934199&postcount=10), I’m observing “Buy Nothing and Go Nowhere Day.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-inflicts-black-friday-on-britain/705829/12 "2014-11-28T19:20:03Z")
I already saw ads for Black Friday in Spain, France and Germany last year. Several of the retailers involved are multinational chains present in those three and other countries and I assume they had BF sales all over the chain. This year, Spanish newspapers are running articles explaining what the heck is this “Black Friday” thing. Ads sighted in the wild in Denmark and Sweden (I didn’t visit either this time of year last year). ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-inflicts-black-friday-on-britain/705829/13 "2014-11-28T19:24:37Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > I’m observing “Buy Nothing and Go Nowhere Day.” 🙂 _sigh._ Leaving you and the other AdBusters only 30 or so days to shop. That’ll show 'em. \ > [@Nava](#): > > This year, Spanish newspapers are running articles explaining what the heck is this “Black Friday” thing. Phase 1. The three phases of instigative marketing are: 1. This is what the product is, and how it will make your life entirely wonderful. Oh, by the way, Snarkies is a fine product of this type. 2. Snarkies is a great product in this niche and you should try it. 3. BUY SNARKIES! ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-inflicts-black-friday-on-britain/705829/14 "2014-11-28T19:32:53Z")
Nah, it’s phase 2. Phase 1 was last year’s sales, with idiots saying “ohmygodtheresablackfridaysalemustgo!” and normal people answering “so what the fuck is black friday, how is this sale supposed to be any good when most of the christmas stuff isn’t in stores yet, and why the heck are you talking without breathing?” The only “black day” people could come up with was the '29 crash, but that wasn’t a friday. Apparently the dudes from Marketing expected phase 3 to work without the other two and without, really, most of the christmas stuff being in stores yet. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-inflicts-black-friday-on-britain/705829/15 "2014-11-28T19:35:36Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > _sigh._ Leaving you and the other AdBusters only 30 or so days to shop. That’ll show 'em. \ Meh. I hardly have anyone to shop for and I do as much of my shopping online as I can. No crowds to beat and it gets delivered to my door. I no longer succumb to the holiday shopping madness. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-inflicts-black-friday-on-britain/705829/16 "2014-11-28T20:36:28Z")
As an American - I strongly advise that you newbs not attempt Black Friday without the customary Thanksgiving carb-loading and Day-Of-Naps-In-Front-Of-The-Telly. You have to train for this if you want to outrun the gunmen and the grannies with loaded carts. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-inflicts-black-friday-on-britain/705829/17 "2014-11-28T20:47:21Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Inspired by [SeaDragonTattoo](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17934199&postcount=10), I’m observing “Buy Nothing and Go Nowhere Day.” 🙂 The NYT had an article this morning about how the best deals are found _after_ BF, so it’s rather pointless to engage in the lunacy. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-inflicts-black-friday-on-britain/705829/18 "2014-11-28T21:08:58Z")
Different subject, but my reaction is broadly this: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/-u0RQkj3Tic/hqdefault.jpg "Hallowe'en Advice - How to Deal with Trick or Treaters - A Bit of Fry & Laurie - BBC comedy") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-u0RQkj3Tic) ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-inflicts-black-friday-on-britain/705829/19 "2014-11-28T21:51:59Z")
Well, somewhere recently I saw a claim that one in six British people now celebrate Thanksgiving :(, although I have not noticed any actual sign of it. I am not sure what they might be giving thanks for, either: perhaps getting rid of those nasty puritans. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-inflicts-black-friday-on-britain/705829/20 "2014-11-28T21:59:05Z")
It depends on the deal. Most Black Friday “crushes” fall into two groups; everybody trying to get This Year’s One Hot Item (e.g. Tickle Me Elmo; PlayStation 2) before it sells out and you have to explain to your kids that Santa’s elves couldn’t make enough of them, and poorer people trying to get doorbuster items (I remember about 20 years ago a run on a stack of relatively cheap boom boxes by people who clearly gave off the “This price is as close as I’m ever going to get to getting my child one of these things” vibe). Besides, somebody has to take over the Black Friday tradition; more and more in the USA, stores are opening on Thursday night. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-inflicts-black-friday-on-britain/705829.md?page=2)