There are several factors contributing to this year's Black Friday frenzy…
- Thanksgiving came late this year and there is one less profitable week between Thanksgiving and Christmas
- Although the Hanukkah buying season is small compared to Christmas, since both come on the same day this year that compresses the buying season that much more
- the economy is still soft and the various consumer indexes are mixed leaving the retailers confused and scared for the survival of their businesses
- the middle class, who are the core of the buying public is shrinking as more and more are losing their jobs and/or sinking into the growing mass of the working poor
- brick and mortar retail stores are being hammered by internet marketing. For example the shrinking of Barnes and Noble.
- Banks are still sitting on their assets and rather than loaning money to struggling retailers and instead making billionaires of senior banking executives who send their assets offshore
- The United States House of Congress and the United States Senate playing chicken with the economy and some seemingly working hard to cause the Republic to fail.
Personally I am offended by the Black Friday frenzy, if I were in the retail market I would be scared spitless like the retailers appear to be. I also applaud Tim Cook's action but he can afford to be generous given the cash reserves Apple is sitting on.
