As the calendar flips to late November, millions of shoppers brace themselves for the annual retail spectacle that is Black Friday. For weeks, emails flood inboxes and TV ads tout the promise of “unbeatable deals” and “massive savings,” but a bold new claim is coming from retailers: “It’s the same sale we gave you last week, just with a different name.”
This year, after months of heavily discounted “pre-Black Friday” sales, many retailers have finally admitted that the iconic shopping holiday is little more than a carefully crafted marketing illusion.
The Great Discount Deception: Same Products, Same Prices
At a local mall in suburban America, Jessica Adams, who had been eyeing a new smart speaker for weeks, walked into the store on Black Friday, only to realize something shocking.
“Turns out I could’ve saved this whole ‘shopping frenzy’ for the last season’s sale,” she said with a slight chuckle as she picked up a Bluetooth speaker that was "50% off"—the same price it was listed at last Tuesday. “The label said 50% off, but I checked the price tag from a week ago. Same price. Same speaker. Same annoying music in the background.”
Retailers have long known that consumers are more likely to buy when the word "sale" is attached to a price. Yet, according to financial experts, Black Friday sales have become little more than an elaborate game of marketing smoke and mirrors.
"Black Friday used to be the one day when prices actually dropped, but in the last few years, retailers have caught on to the power of psychology,” said market analyst Brad Henderson. “Now, they simply mark items at full price, slap a 'discounted' tag on them, and say, 'Look! It’s a sale!'"
How to Spot the Sale That Wasn't: Buyer Beware
For the savvy shopper, the key to navigating Black Friday is knowing how to spot a deal that’s not a deal. For example, the TV you bought for $199 “off” the original $799 price? It’s the same model that was offered for $199 last month, and the "original price" is just a fun number someone at the corporate office made up.
Retailers have become so creative with their pricing strategies that even price tags themselves are now part of the con. Items that used to be priced at $100 will be marked “$150” for the week leading up to Black Friday. Come Friday morning, they’ll be “marked down” to $100, giving the illusion of a great deal, when in reality, it’s just the regular price with a hefty markup to begin with.
The ‘Sales’ That Aren’t Really Sales: It’s Just a Marketing Tactic
This year’s big gimmick? “Black Friday pricing” that actually started the day after Halloween. While consumers rushed to secure what they thought were Black Friday “exclusives,” they may have been shocked to discover that the very same sales had been happening for weeks.
“It’s honestly laughable at this point,” said Mark Thompson, an industry insider. “Retailers begin their ‘Black Friday’ promotions in October and continue them right through to Cyber Monday. It’s a perpetual marketing machine that keeps consumers in a state of ‘sale fatigue,’ where they feel like they need to shop or they’ll miss out on something.”
The concept of a “limited-time offer” was initially invented to create urgency, but now, it seems retailers have mastered the art of creating urgency every day of the year.
The ‘Big Sale’ That Isn’t So Big After All
When asked for comment, a spokesperson for BigBox, a nationwide retail chain, responded, “We don’t want our customers to feel overwhelmed. Our goal is to offer a convenient shopping experience at a price that works for everyone. So really, this sale was just a natural extension of the incredible offers we’ve had all month.”
Naturally, shoppers aren’t fooled. One local customer, Dave Miller, found his shopping spree was nothing more than a walk through an overpriced maze.
“I thought I was getting a steal on a microwave,” Dave said, holding up a box. “But then I remembered I saw this exact microwave on sale last Tuesday. It wasn’t that great of a deal then, and now, I’m questioning if I ever really needed a second microwave.”
The Takeaway: Don’t Fall for the Hype
This year, don’t be fooled by the frenzy. Black Friday may still be the day when large crowds gather, credit cards are maxed out, and online stores crash under the weight of impulsive buys—but the reality is that most of these “deals” aren’t nearly as exclusive or discounted as they appear.
So, next time you’re feeling the Black Friday shopping itch, remember this simple rule: if it’s too good to be true, it’s probably just a regular sale in disguise. Or, even worse, the same sale from last week with a fresh coat of “discounted” paint.
Happy shopping—if you decide to buy anything at all.