It’s the crack of dawn on a chilly Friday winter morning. Families are camping in front of Target, Walmart, Macy’s and more. As the day goes on, carts get filled to the brim with televisions, appliances, games, clothes and that one blender that your aunt “swears” she needs. Fights break out, children are screaming and retail employees are surely struggling. As guessed, it’s Black Friday — but years ago. 

It may be noticeable the “festiveness” of Black Friday has decreased — fewer fights, less screaming and fewer flashy news headlines. It was reported by CNBC that online sales had risen by 6% to $76.8 billion in the United States compared to last year, and many individuals are moving to online shopping versus physical stores. 

“I’ve definitely pivoted more towards online shopping,” said Benjamin Godinez, freshman in DGS.“ It’s a lot easier and convenient and I don’t have to battle for an item in stores.”

The rise of e-commerce may have tainted the in-person magic of Black Friday shopping for many. As stated by The Washington Post, online sites are easier to access, and online shopping culture has been accelerated since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

As big-name brands slowly introduce their holiday deals earlier and earlier every year, it could be noticed that there is a desperate need to attract consumers in order to generate the most revenue.

The past years have seen a steady rise in inflation, and brands are quick to capitalize off of a marketed good deal. As reported by NPR, shoppers are expected to shop 6% to 8% more than they did last year.

On top of inflation and many other factors, many shoppers are more inclined to stick to the typical big-name brand stores such as Target, Best Buy, JCPenney and H&M. Amid all of this chaos, it’s easy to question where local businesses fit into the picture.

“I feel like small businesses are less likely to have Black Friday deals just because a business like Walmart or Amazon can really afford to cut prices drastically versus small businesses,” said Jay Cardenas, freshman in DGS. “They don’t really have the luxury to do that.”

According to Harvard Business Review, statistics show small businesses cannot financially compete with big businesses. Small businesses are typically hit hardest by government regulations and tax laws and don’t have the funds to attract large audiences.

With such high demands for the upkeep of a small business, items from such stores will often be more pricey in order to maintain a relatively steady income. Unfortunately, it can be difficult for the average consumer to afford being able to shop locally.

“I would say sometimes I do support small shops,” said Jasmine Chau, freshman in DGS. “(I shop at bigger stores) mostly because of convenience and also because usually the stuff there is made cheaper.”

There is seemingly a new hope for small businesses these upcoming Black Friday years: TikTok. 

According to USA Today, TikTok allows businesses to build up engagement and widely promote their product with creative videos that allow users of the app to potentially purchase and share the product.

“People use that as a way to market and advertise for their businesses,” Godinez said. “That is what gravitates me towards smaller businesses a lot more than bigger businesses.”

Small businesses will still have to compete with the bigger businesses in-person and online in future years.

While Black Friday’s structure is undergoing change, it’s not known what shape the annual tradition will take in years to come. 

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