By Rachel Bryd
As Black Friday approaches yet again, Lone Star College students are debating whether they will be risking the crowd to shop Black Friday deals.
According to The Balance, an economic website, the number of shoppers in 2017 on Thanksgiving and Black Friday declined by 4% from the previous year. This leads one to believe that the interest in the famous shoppers holiday may be losing its appeal due to violence, bad sales or even the efficiency that Cyber Monday is now offering customers.
Some students, such as Carlos M., have found great deals on both Cyber Monday and Black Friday. “They’re both equally okay…” he says, “I’m not very proud of it, but I tend to spend a lot.”
Even with the possibility of savings, however, the violence that often occurs in the Black Friday mayhem is a concern for many students. One student, William P., recounted how while shopping on Black Friday, he and his sister got into a fight with several other shoppers over merchandise. “I just stopped going after that,” he says. “It wasn’t worth it.”
Safety is also a concern for students who will be working on Black Friday. Another student, Marilyn, who will be working on Black Friday, tells us, “Yes, I am [worried]… Bad people might sneak in, and we might not even notice.”
Other students who intended to shop on Black Friday said they were not worried about the violence.
One student Bradley F., despite having experienced Black Friday violence before at the New Caney Wal-Mart, intends to go Black Friday shopping this year anyway.
“You don’t try to come… (up to me in line) and beat me up and try to take my stuff that I’m trying to pay for,” he adds after sharing his story. When asked if he would shop on Cyber Monday again, Bradley says, “Heck, yeah.”.
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