Black Friday originated in America to denote the Friday following Thanksgiving, and for the past few years it has caught on in Italy as well. On this day, stores, chains and e-commerce offer large discounts with the aim of encouraging purchases, especially in view of the Christmas season. However, over the years, this day is triggering consumers' sometimes dysfunctional behaviors such as obsessively searching for items for fear of missing the offer of the moment.
Shopping on Black Friday appears adventurous, competitive and characterized by the urgency of obtaining excellent deals. In fact, with the arrival of Black Friday and the related promotions we tend to make purchases, even though there is not always a real need, being enticed by the discounts.
Compared to seasonal sales, Black Friday, lasting just one day, awakens a sense of urgency: it induces consumers to carry out a quick search and subsequent purchase without the possibility of consciously reflecting on the expense and the real need for the item.
The urge to buy, in addition to encouraging the accumulation of items, may also represent a way of managing and regulating emotions that the individual may perceive as intense and unpleasant. For example, a purchase may provide relief from sadness or emptiness, but that relief is destined to be short-lived.
Indeed, the purchase of unnecessary items seems to produce immediate satisfaction and gratification, but these tend to fade quickly, often giving way to feelings of guilt and inner discomfort. The risk is thus to trigger a vicious cycle of buying and emotional dissatisfaction.
Emotions, therefore, seem to play an important role in the behaviors enacted during Black Friday. For example, the study conducted by Lennon et al. (2018) observed that the positive emotions involved in shopping behaviors during this day were excitement and happiness that predominantly manifested before the purchase, while the observed negative emotions that included anger, anxiety, belligerence, disgust, distress, irritability, sadness, and tension tended to emerge when purchase expectations were not met.
On the other hand, for some people, making a purchase is not only a way to save money, but may be a strategy to strengthen their self-esteem: if the person succeeds in grabbing an item, winning over others in time, they may feel smarter and more astute thereby strengthening the sense of self.
Another mechanism that might be involved in shopping behaviors during Black Friday is FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). This is a phenomenon in which individuals have a fear of missing out or not participating in an enjoyable and rewarding experience. In relation to Black Friday, FOMO represents a drive that causes consumers to make quick and impulsive purchasing decisions for fear of missing out on a convenient deal. In fact, consumers may experience a wave of anxiety, excitement and urgency when faced with limited-time offers, amplifying the fear of missing out and generating a strong desire to buy before it is too late.
Therefore, it would be important to shop consciously, not being overwhelmed by discounts and weighing our choices without relying on satisfaction that is as immediate as it is ephemeral.