A Most Worthy Cause ... ?

[jean]

[french frank]

So if you have spare cash,think about your fellow citizens, help keep them gainfully employed, and carry on spending.

Wisely and ethically,of course

It appears the internet companies did well out of Black Friday, the High Street less so

[Serial_Apologist]

It appears the internet companies did well out of Black Friday, the High Street less so

This appears to be being put down to a combination of government terrorist warnings following Paris, and memories of last year's stampede, coupled with purchaser's increasing turn to the internet.

A few weeks ago, some shops were saying that if people were visiting merely to view goods they intended purchasing online, it was no problem just showcasing merchandise, and I for one would be quite happy for Oxford Street to become less the jostly place that had become such an unpleasant experience; but this could mean retail jobs getting slashed.

[Roehre]

this is in truth part of a much bigger discussion.

Christmas and the spending that it "generates" keeps very many businesses going and people in work.

It could well be that much of the money spent could be used more wisely , effectively , and usefully, and would be better spent more evenly throughout the year.

At present however, businesses like the one that I work for , ( and indeed many other creative businesses)depend on a big Christmas spend.

So if you have spare cash,think about your fellow citizens, help keep them gainfully employed, and carry on spending.

Wisely and ethically,of course

All true and commendable, but it doesn't increase total spending (at least not without extended loans)

[P. G. Tipps]

... it doesn't increase total spending ...

"In a nutshell" immediately springs to Mr Tipps's mind, and, worse, it simply replaces much of the Christmas trade, with increased costs and reduced profits for retailers, and with no obvious advantage to consumers apart from those tiny few "shopping" thugs who kick and punch their way to a heavily-advertised 'loss-leader'.

One veteran retail analyst recently described 'Black Friday' in the UK as 'economically illiterate and thoroughly stupid'.

I suspect this at least averagely-brained gentleman was simply being over-kind ...

[teamsaint]

"In a nutshell" immediately springs to Mr Tipps's mind, and, worse, it simply replaces much of the Christmas trade, with increased costs and reduced profits for retailers, and with no obvious advantage to consumers apart from those tiny few "shopping" thugs who kick and punch their way to a heavily-advertised 'loss-leader'.

One veteran retail analyst recently described 'Black Friday' in the UK as 'economically illiterate and thoroughly stupid'.

I suspect this at least averagely-brained gentleman was simply being over-kind ...

Not sure you can have this both ways.
If it reduces the profits of big retailers, and thus leaves more spending power in the hands of consumers, then this is to the advantage of those with lower incomes, who tend to spend a very high ratio of their income?

Anyway, economically illiterate or not, ( and that is a description that could apply to any amount of economic activity,) it is, as you say, to a great extent an extension of the Christmas trade.
Retailers have complained for years that Christmas trading has got later and later, and in a world where cash flow is so vital, black Friday may be actually a very welcome boost for some hard pressed retailers and manufacturers,min a world where the consumer has come to expect static or falling real,prices year after year, on many goods.

All of which does not address any of the real madness in our economic structures of course.