Black Friday ?

[gromit]

Is it just me or is it annoying that retailers have taken an American idea and introduced it to the Australian Market over the last few years ?
Have people forgotten the Black Friday fires ?

Maybe I'm just getting grumpy (or grumpier) over the last few years.


Colin

[101RRS]

I am with you - too many Americanisms creeping into our culture, SUVs, Trick or Treat (not the same as Halloween), Black Friday - Santa Claus.

Next we will the celebrating Independence Day and Thanksgiving.

[shack]

Is it just me or is it annoying that retailers have taken an American idea and introduced it to the Australian Market over the last few years ?
Have people forgotten the Black Friday fires ?

Maybe I'm just getting grumpy (or grumpier) over the last few years.


ColinWasn't black Friday in America also based on tragic events?

And yes it's frustrating, and yes you are probably grumpy, but misery loves company... So I'll jump on board as well.

[JDNSW]

No, Black Friday in the USA got that name because, being the day after Thanksgiving and before the weekend, everyone who could, took it off and travelled, so it became a black day for sales. Retailers started to have specials on that day to try and improve sales figures, and it snowballed from there.

Seeing that Thanksgiving is not either an Australian celebration nor a holiday, there is absolutely no justification for it being any sort of special day, and as noted, the name has long been in use in a couple of states to remember disastrous fires.

[Tins]

No, Black Friday in the USA got that name because, being the day after Thanksgiving and before the weekend, everyone who could, took it off and travelled, so it became a black day for sales. Retailers started to have specials on that day to try and improve sales figures, and it snowballed from there.

Seeing that Thanksgiving is not either an Australian celebration nor a holiday, there is absolutely no justification for it being any sort of special day, and as noted, the name has long been in use in a couple of states to remember disastrous fires.

I heard only today that it came from the fact that Thanksgiving sales brought retailers back into the black after being in the red all year.

It starts at 5:35:


https://youtu.be/ShQx6xlsiLY

And I agree, Australia is being diluted, from traditions, through language usage down to spelling. I blame TV, in particular Sesame Street.

[windsock]

Follow the money...

[Tins]

Follow the money...

Definitely a "catch all" phrase.

[ramblingboy42]

I'm with you too......

sales expected to be higher than xmas.

guess some people are cashed up not having had a spending spree in nearly 2 yrs.

[loanrangie]

Don't get me started on this crap, next thing it'll be independence day and thanks giving.

[Tote]

Not that I particularly like it Australia has always been influenced by American culture. Have a look at the RM Williams logo, RM "Borrowed " the longhorn from Texas.

Regards,
Tote

[Tins]

Don't get me started on this crap, next thing it'll be independence day and thanks giving.

Pretty much my view. I've been told, but never tried it, that calling 911 will connect you to 000. Or 999 if you are in the UK.

[Tins]

Not that I particularly like it Australia has always been influenced by American culture.

Not always, Tote. I'm probably older than you. The British influence was predominant in my youth. We had Morris or Austin cars, Ford Zephyrs, or if you were a snob like my mum (there's another... mom ) Daimlers. We had, at least in Victoria, formula horsepower charges on registration, just like postwar England.
What happened, IMO, was the availability of cheap US TV shows, obviously funded by advertising $$$, that took over. This was followed by, wait for it, Safeway. We used to have local groceries. Then, near where I grew up, Australia was luck enough to get a SUPERMARKET. What an innovation that was. Chuck in Maccas, Kentucky Fried as it was then, K-Mart and the invasion is done. I refuse to shop at any of them, and I wouldn't feed Maccas to a dog.

[101RRS]

Next we will the celebrating Independence Day and Thanksgiving.


Don't get me started on this crap, next thing it'll be independence day and thanks giving.

Must be an echo in this thread [bigrolf]

[Tins]

Or perhaps like minded people?? I'd be another...

[ChookD2]

I think Australian retailers have taken on this "weird" sales gimmick because with the availability of online shopping many were losing money to American retailers at this time of year. Particularly when our dollar was up a bit (doesn't happen often), coupled with cheap freight.

As for Halloween, that is just an exercise in marketing that has, unfortunately, made it's way here thanks to the likes of the Brady Bunch, Happy Days, et al, the "wholesome family entertainment shows". Was never a thing when I was a kid.

I now work in retail and this new phenomenon of "Black Friday" is a real PITA. Many come in and just want that whole store to be on sale, then complain when it isn't, "but it's black friday".

[Tins]

. Many come in and just want that whole store to be on sale, then complain when it isn't, "but it's black friday".
Shame it isn't 1939. However, ignorance is just that. :twisted:

[JDNSW]

Not always, Tote. I'm probably older than you. The British influence was predominant in my youth. We had Morris or Austin cars, Ford Zephyrs, or if you were a snob like my mum (there's another... mom ) Daimlers. We had, at least in Victoria, formula horsepower charges on registration, just like postwar England.
What happened, IMO, was the availability of cheap US TV shows, obviously funded by advertising $$$, that took over. This was followed by, wait for it, Safeway. We used to have local groceries. Then, near where I grew up, Australia was luck enough to get a SUPERMARKET. What an innovation that was. Chuck in Maccas, Kentucky Fried as it was then, K-Mart and the invasion is done. I refuse to shop at any of them, and I wouldn't feed Maccas to a dog.

No, not always, but it has been going for a long time. As I grew up our family however had the Ford T, replaced by a Reo, but then a Swift (of Coventry), replaced by an Austin, then a Simca. My uncles drove Chryslers, Morrisses, Rovers, Pontiacs. My sister married a man driving a Ford Custom, which replaced his Chevrolet (but it was replaced by a Zephyr). Every day on the way to school I passed a business whose entire living came from selling Chevrolet fours.

Going back further, as an example, Cobb and Co coaches design came from the USA. In fact, the first major US influence came with the Gold Rush in the 1850s. With travel to and from California being quicker and easier than travel to the UK, there was already a lot of communication between here and the west coast of the USA, and when gold was discovered in California in 1849, a lot of Australians headed there. Successful and unsuccessful miners returned a few years later, and sparked the goldrush here, and sent for their mates in California.

While Australia had an infant film industry before WW1, by the 1920s the vast majority of films shown in Australia came from Hollywood, together with fashion trends, and a lot of social trends, and after talkies appeared from around 1930, American popular music took hold.

American TV programs have only continued the influence that has been going on for well over a hundred and fifty years.

[Tombie]

Who cares [bigwhistle]

I get some great deals on gear I want today and Cyber monday from online stores all over the globe. So I'm happy.

[1950landy]

Some one asked on our local community face book other day " why don't grocery stores have Black Friday sales " my answer was " they sell things that you need , were the others sell things you don't need but desire & can't afford " They must have a hell of a mark up to be able to give up to 50% off & still be making money.

[ATH]

"50% off and still making money". Yes my thoughts exactly. Prices come down during sales to somewhere like they should have been in the first place. I'm not usually one to bother driving miles for a so called bargain, I leave that to the Cook who says that she needs something exciting in life...... but I may go to a camping store to check the tents out.
AlanH.

[LRJim]

Retail mark up is generally 300% above cost price. Take away coffee's about 1000%

[jonesfam]

Retail mark up is generally 300% above cost price. Take away coffee's about 1000%

Rubbish!
BTW Mark Up has nothing to do with Profit Margin.
Jonesfam

[Homestar]

Retail mark up is generally 300% above cost price. Take away coffee's about 1000%

Large profit on coffee yes but not quite that high - How Much to Charge for a Cup of Coffee and Still Make a Profit (https://www.cafe-coach.com.au/the-secret-to-real-profits-in-a-cup-of-coffee/)

[loanrangie]

Must be an echo in this thread [bigrolf]

the only con of using the app on your phone, you don't always see the previous posts.

[gromit]

Large profit on coffee yes but not quite that high - How Much to Charge for a Cup of Coffee and Still Make a Profit (https://www.cafe-coach.com.au/the-secret-to-real-profits-in-a-cup-of-coffee/)

I remember an episode of Gruen a few years ago where they called coffee 'liquid gold'.

[LRJim]

Large profit on coffee yes but not quite that high - How Much to Charge for a Cup of Coffee and Still Make a Profit (https://www.cafe-coach.com.au/the-secret-to-real-profits-in-a-cup-of-coffee/)When my wife worked at a well known bakery chain about 12 years ago it would cost them about 45c plus the Labor for a $4.50 coffee. But like I said that was 12 years ago, things have changed alot since then. Those statistics you posted make sense considering cup's are now environmentally friendly and the milk and beans are sourced from fair trade company's.

[JDNSW]

The problem with trying to estimate the "cost" of supplying a cup of coffee is that there are a large number of unknowns, most of which are not obvious. But to point out a few:-

1. The labour needed to make and serve the coffee is easy to estimate - but what is not easy is estimating how much of the worker's time has to be paid for that is not producing revenue. For most venues, this will be a lot more than the actual time to make and serve the coffee.

2. The cost of capital - both for the machinery and furniture, and more intangibles like training and working capital

3. Rent, licence fees, government charges, insurance, power, water etc. All of these continue even when there are no customers, and cannot easily be reduced if the number of customers decreases.

There are others, but these are just some of the obvious ones.

[gromit]

Who cares [bigwhistle]

I get some great deals on gear I want today and Cyber monday from online stores all over the globe. So I'm happy.

That's exactly what the retailers & marketing companies expected, who cares what it's called.......... ITS A SALE !

The fact that Black Friday sales are an American concept and it will effectively change the general Australian knowledge of 'Black Friday' doesn't matter.
Black Friday bushfires, VIC 1939 | Australian Disasters (https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/resources/bushfire-black-friday-victoria-1939/)


Colin

[Tombie]

Bull****…..

[gromit]

Bull****…..

?????

[Tombie]

Having Black Friday sales does not detract from the Black Friday fires from the 30s.

It’s a similar lack of knowledge of things like Ash Wednesday. Something that the current generation is almost completely unaware of - because it’s rarely taught.

We are a global community and have been since the Web opened up peoples view of the world and global markets became accessible to everyone.

What is more erosive of our history is cancel culture and poor educational curriculum not passing on knowledge and history of our past.

Black Friday, Cyber Monday and that one that happens in China are great opportunities to purchase inessential items at better prices, nothing more.

If an individual is unable to discern an event in Australian history from a sale day - I would suggest they are lacking in knowledge. Not victims of marketing.

[gromit]

If an individual is unable to discern an event in Australian history from a sale day - I would suggest they are lacking in knowledge. Not victims of marketing.

I'd suggest that a large percentage of the population have little knowledge of Australian history and are constantly the victims of marketing.

My point was that I find it disappointing that we have to copy an American idea for retailers & marketing people to generate revenue. In the process a large part of the population (especially the younger generation) will now know Black Friday as a 'sale' rather than a tragic event in Australian history.

I'm not suggesting for a moment that you shouldn't take advantage of 'sales'



Colin

[1950landy]

I agree with Gromit & have noticed this year some of our friends have started celebrating Thanksgiving as well. I think a lot of this is to do with Facebook which is mostly US based & promotes the US holidays & traditions.

[Saitch]

& have noticed this year some of our friends have started celebrating Thanksgiving as well.

But why? I would understand, if they are U.S. citizens?

[JDNSW]

Yes, I think farcebook and other social media have to a large extent displaced Hollywood as the source of American influence in Australia as it was when I was growing up, not something new, but probably even more pervasive.

But even in my parent's childhood in the early 1900s it was there through books, popular songs, sheet music, stage performances etc, although the British influence was almost as strong. To a large extent 'traditional' Australian culture is a meld of British and American cultural influence shaped by the influence of the physical environment, with increasing non-English speaking influences from western Europe as immigration picked up after WW2, and non-European influences from more recent immigration after about 1975. But overall, I see the major external influences on Australian culture as British and American, the same as it always has been, but probably with more American influence relative to British than in the past, but also with a uniquely Australian meld being stronger.