Is it becoming a habit? A tradition? Something I do periodically because I’m bitter about consumerism?
Maybe, possibly, and only partly. In today’s economy (In Today’s EconomyTM), particularly with tariffs rising and falling seemingly at random (note: not actually at random) and many families still struggling with the aftermath of financial stress from the government shutdown, the revenue needs of retailers meets the limited resources of consumers to make a big ol’ mess, and it’s hard to make any kind of cogent comment about it.
So I won’t try. I’m not an economist, I’m a freelance copywriter (offering discounted project fees and contracts starting Small Business Saturday — even more reasonable rates, inquire within). But at least I can revive previous advice on how to participate in Black Friday, if you so choose, or how not to, if you choose not to, in the most ethical way possible in an environment that offers little to no options for ethical consumerism.
And on that stultifying note, here we go.
1. Shop online.
With economists expecting record in-person Black Friday shoppers this year sorting through less-inspiring discounts, your couch is a great place to shop to avoid the crowds while still getting great deals. A lot of major and specialty retailers are already offering Black Friday-esque deals (waiting for the day itself is so 2000-and-late). BlackFriday.com maintains a collection of assorted store ads and deals so you can pretend to be shopping in person except, y’know, not. (Also check out Forbes for a list of impressive deals from those specialty retailers I mentioned.)
2. Shop small.
As always, this is going to be my answer. Small-business shopping doesn’t have to wait until Small Business Saturday — you can, and should, do it any time. Small businesses are far less equipped to weather the current economic storm than Jeff Bezos. And Latino-owned businesses in particular face extra threat with the state breathing down their collective neck, so show them your support by shopping at whatever local Hispanic- and Latino-owned businesses are open and shop others online.
You get to help out store owners who really appreciate your patronage, and you get to give gifts your Target-shopping friends would never have found on their own.
3. Shop ethical and sustainable.
(I’m done hedging adverbs and adjectives with this one. It is what it is.) Consume conspicuously but responsibly by sharing your money with brands that make an effort to protect the environment and the well-being of their employees. I will admit, ethical and sustainable brands often come with a higher price tag, but selection of more affordable brands is ever-growing and Black Friday deals help out a lot.
The Good Trade has a massive list, updated daily, of sustainable brands offering great Black Friday deals, and Conscious Life & Style has its own list (noting that some of the links are affiliate links). And the Good Shopping Guide is a great resource for seeing how your favorite brands measure up in terms of respect for environmental health, animal welfare, and human rights.
4. Punt.
I mean, you don’t have to shop at all this weekend. You can give that money to worthy causes, even if they won’t give you loot in return. Our family, being made up of old people and no kids, minimizes the need for acting abilities to look so so excited about that eBay gift card by exchanging donations instead — we share our favorite charities instead of our wish lists, and then we get to support good causes and not have extra stuff to find a place for.
(If you want to get me anything this year, btw, the Community Foodbank of Central Alabama is a great fit. Youth Towers is also exactly my size, and I don’t already have one.)
5. Shop kindly.
Jesus, y’all, please try to be a good person. Don’t hit people. Don’t stalk parking spaces. Don’t fight over the last whatever. Don’t be mean to retail workers — it’s not their fault you didn’t get there early enough to get a clearance Labubu or whatthehellever, they’re definitely not getting the hazard pay they deserve, and no, there isn’t another one in back in the storeroom. I don’t know what it is about Black Friday shopping that makes people lose their damn minds, but please try to be a human being. Like, the whole time. If nothing else, remember that your complete loss of control will be immortalized in a meme from this day forward.
Happy holiday shopping (or not)
Honestly, I might actually end up shopping this Black Friday — since my parents retired to a tee-niney town where every business is a small one, we’ve gotten into the habit of going out of a Black Friday to pick up some artisanal mustard and hand-blown Christmas ornaments. (I’m not getting up early, though. There’s plenty of artisanal mustard to go around.) Whether you choose to sleep in, wake up early, or not wake up at all (tryptophan is a cruel mistress), I invite you to stay safe, responsible, and kind.
I swear to God, if I hear about someone dying over a Labubu this year, I’m burning this shit to the ground.
Note: Thanksgiving marks the start of Weepies Season — our annual celebration of the tear-jerkingest ads of the holiday season. As holiday ads start overtaking your screens, make a note of the ones that make you sniffle and drop your nominations in comments here, or on LinkedIn or Facebook or whatever, and you might see your favorite on the 2025 Weepy podium.