Thanksgiving Weekend Shopping as a Social Event

Crowded stores and lines don’t seem to dissuade tens of millions of shoppers from hitting the market over the Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend. Many are looking to cash in on the great deals and others are just taking advantage of some additional time off from work. The National Retail Federation is reporting that 134 million consumers will hit the stores this weekend. That’s a six million person increase over last year. However, there is a developing set of consumers who have a different mindset about Black Friday. They enjoy the event.

In this Retail Customer Experience article, the author discusses how consumers are starting to take power over the event by attacking it like a military exercise. Teams of consumers enjoy plotting a strategy and executing their game plan as not only a bargain hunting trip, but also as a fun social event.

The trend is not going unnoticed by retailers who are ramping up their efforts to cater to this type of social consumer. In many cases they are reshaping the, “Waiting in line experience,” by offering coffee and treats to those in line, making every effort to make the lines faster, and in general just trying to keep the tone friendly. This concierge level of customer care plays in perfectly with the mindset of the “Black Friday as a Social Event” shopper.