Today is Friday

By now we've probably all had a pile of “Black Friday Sale”, “Black Friday starts early” or “Black Week is on” emails this week. With discount campaigns, voucher codes and supposedly wild slashed prices, the ads and emails lure you into the shops. Black Friday kicks off the Christmas season, and it does so with a clear starting signal for overconsumption.

Where does the whole thing even come from? In the US, Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving and counts as the start of the Christmas shopping season.

But how good are the deals on Black Friday and Cyber Monday really? The truth is, as tempting as they look, you as a consumer often save very little. Consumer rights advocates criticise that the discounts on these “sale days” are frequently blown up artificially. On closer inspection, the discounts often aren't based on the recommended retail price but on inflated fantasy prices, designed to make the offer look irresistible. With dreamy-sounding 50% or 60% off, alarm bells should be ringing for most people. Best to do a quick round of comparing with other sellers before you walk into the trap.

10 to 25% is still realistic, but of course you should act thoughtfully and not just grab something because it all looks so nicely cheap. Before you let the offers sweep you off your feet, here are a few good questions to work through:

1. Would I pay full price for this product too?
2. Do I already have something similar at home, or can I repurpose something at home in a similar way?
3. Could I borrow it or find it secondhand instead?
4. Okay, but do I really need this?
5. Is it durable?
6. Will I still want it next year?
7. Is it something I've wanted for a long time?
8. Does the brand / the product fit my values?

But why shouldn't you just go on a wild shopping spree and let consumption run free? That overconsumption and unnecessary consumption are bad for the environment and the climate is something everyone here has probably heard often enough. But of course you shouldn't only think about the stuff you'd probably never have bought without the discounts — think also about packaging, shipping and the people involved in our new something. Needlessly huge amounts of waste are created on these days, and the bins quickly fill up with packaging, boxes or even bad buys. The rush at delivery services isn't just extreme stress for the couriers, but also a big rise in CO2. Delivery to your front door always takes extra work and CO2.

Besides the stressed couriers, you should also think about the workers in the rest of the supply chain when you're about to fall for a deal. Ask yourselves too whether you really want to actively support working conditions like those in the fast fashion industry with your money.

Now you're wondering what's the best thing to do today? Here's our suggestion: if you spot something in the sale today that you've been saving up for and that you really need and want, then seize the chance! Otherwise, don't let yourself be swept away by discounts and red numbers and don't buy anything you didn't even know you needed beforehand. So:

Buy less and more thoughtfully.

Boycott unethical companies.

Make sure your things last you a long time.

Better to support good causes that stand up for social justice.

Keep standing up for climate justice and climate action.

For us this Friday is just as lovely as any other before the weekend. That said, since we reject Black Friday and everything behind it and don't want to support it any further, you won't find any crazy deals with us today.

Better to think it over once more before you click buy — and you'll save the most today anyway by not buying anything at all.