In Canada you probably know it as Buy Nothing Day. Here in the US, November 25th is known as Black Friday — so called, because it’s the day retailers supposedly start making money and getting “back into the black”. The day is typically associated with long lines and people getting trampled and/or killed at Walmart. About the closest thing in Canada is Boxing Day, but it really doesn’t compare. Thanksgiving is celebrated the day before Black Friday in the States (in Canada, Thanksgiving is the second Monday of October). Would you believe there were people — here in Sarasota — waiting in line at Best Buy at 6 pm on Thanksgiving?
Sure, I guess it could be kind of thrilling to be part of something so… crazy. I get that.
What I don’t understand is how news organizations like my favorite local TV station, SNN6, can get off reporting that “Cyber Monday” — purportedly where shoppers “Get online the Monday following Black Friday and buy” — is actually a phenomenon. You just know it had to be made up — when was the last time you heard anyone describe the internet as cyberspace? About… 1997 or so? And since when did anyone ever feel pressured to MAKE IT TO THE CYBERSTORE? *insert Napolean Dynamite quote here*
Anyway, at least one publication blew the proverbial BS horn. Thanks Robert D. Hof and BusinessWeek Online, for calling it like it is.
Cyber Monday
Comments
4 responses to “Cyber Monday”
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It is all about the marketing … it they say it is a big deal … it will become a big deal. I believe the retailers are fully behind this “new phenomenon”. It is something being created … not something that occurred.
I know I am missing something … but I just can’t seem to get into the hype of the Thanksgiving weekend. Enjoy the turkey and good times … but otherwise … nice weekend off. Shopping? Why waste the weekend? (but maybe I just don’t get it … being as I did not grow up with it) -
I guess I’m just not cool with news organizations reporting on stuff like this. I have no problem with the marketeers doing it. I don’t like it, but that’s fine. They’re doing their thing.
But when the news organizations report this stuff, they become an extension of the marketing dept, and that’s not why I’m watching the news. -
The news media is just an extension of todays marketing department. Product reviews are often not based on objective viewpoints or consumer interest … the marketing departments are often involved in pushing for the review – it is worse with bigger organizations. Often you have conflicting interests … ads via the products pay for the news … and do you bite the hand that feeds you?
What I don’t like is the “morning shows” that offer themselves up as discussion forms and news and then end up being 2 hours of infomercials. The Daily Buzz is better as they separate the news, their opinions, and product promotion/sales into different segments that are defined to the watcher. -
Sorry, that’s a broken system. That’s not how I want my information, and I guess it’s why I avoid morning shows like the plague (though I must agree the Daily Buzz is better than most).
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