Are you looking forward to Thanksgiving? Retailers [people who own stores that sell goods to the public] are looking forward to the day after Thanksgiving. They call this day “Black Friday.”
For many people, the Friday after Thanksgiving is a holiday. With winter holidays approaching, it has become a tradition for many people to spend the day shopping. Stores offer great deals on items on this day to get people to come to their store. In 2016, one store reported selling more than 3,200 TVs per minute within the first hour of “Black Friday.”
Many experts study how much money people spend on “Black Friday.” This helps them know how strong the economy in the United States is. Stores depend on this big shopping day to make a profit [when more money is earned than spent] each year. Some claim that it is called “Black Friday” because accountants [people who keep records of how much money a company has] mark profit in black ink. Calling it “Black Friday” means this is the day of the year when stores begin to make money.
Others claim that the Philadelphia police gave the day the name “Black Friday” because of all the traffic, accidents, and fights that happened on a day with so much shopping. Indeed, Black Friday does have its darker side. Sometimes long lines form outside stores before they open. This can lead to injuries and fighting. People were trampled by stampeding crowds.
Black Friday is changing. Many people avoid lines and shop using their computers. Stores have responded by creating “Cyber Monday” and offering discounts for people who shop online when they get back to work on Monday. What is not changing is that the period after Thanksgiving and before the winter holidays is very important to store owners.
What About You? Do you think Black Friday is a good or bad thing?
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