It's that time of year when everyone is thankful for family, friends and their belongings. We're so "grateful" of our material possessions we celebrate the one public holiday that exhibits our nation's consumerist side: Black Friday. I have nothing against Black Friday personally, but as some have argued, it's not right that corporate greed has gotten to the point where many cannot spend Thanksgiving with their family because they have to work retail. Why is it that Black Friday hasn't been renamed to Black Thursday anyway? After all, most stores open their doors early Thanksgiving evening.
Here's six pros to online shopping that trump shopping at stores on Black Friday:
Pro: You can shop from the comfort of your own bed
Who really enjoys heading to malls and outlets during Black Friday? Sure you'll receive some "doorbusting" deals, but finding a parking space is time consuming alone (not to mention the traffic when you're trying to leave the lot). Let's not forget the crowds you have to push through and the long lines you must endure during your shopping experience. Shopping online is done in one place rather than going to multiple stores.
Pro: Not all products require a shipping fee
People complain about online shopping due to shipping fees; however, there's plenty of stores like Macy's or Target that allow you to deliver the product to the store and pick it up free of charge. The best part is you're not required to pick up the product immediately so you can always wait until after the Black Friday rush to attain your product.
Pro: You're not lugging shopping bags around
Shopping online means your just clicks away from purchasing your product(s). Rather than having to carry around shopping bags, you can sit back comfortably and wait for your package(s) to arrive at your doorstep. One of my favorite parts of buying stuff online is when you open your door, or come home to, a package sitting at your entrance. Even though you know what you've purchased, it still feels like Christmas every time you tear into that package.
Pro: Products don't sell out as fast as they do in stores
We all know how insane people can get on Black Friday. Innocents have been beaten/killed over parking spots or perhaps over the last pair of limited Nike's. A huge perk to shopping online is that you're not physically fighting over products. Additionally, websites have more in stock so items don't sell out as quickly.
Pro: There's deals online that you can't get in stores
A lot of places have deals that vary whether you're shopping in stores or online. Clearly online shopping can't beat certain doorbuster deals, but there's numerous sites that offer deals you can't receive in stores.
Pro: You can spend time with family rather than rush to go shopping
Besides the people who are forced to work on Thanksgiving, there's families who have cut their Thanksgiving short over the years so they can participate in Black Friday shopping. Most people don't want to wait until Friday because the best products are sold out quickly on Thursday evening when stores open at 6:00 pm (this is why people will camp outside stores days before Black Friday). However, online shopping allows families to spend more time together at home and not feel obligated to rush their lunch/dinner so they can race over to stores.
