Sometimes holidays bring out the worst in people. In the past decade, there have been 10 deaths and 105 injuries directly or indirectly related to Black Friday. Don’t believe us? Check out this Black Friday death counter.
It’s twisted, really. One day, after being thankful for everything we have, people trample each other to have more.
If The Purge were to meet The Walking Dead, it would come pretty close to some appalling, real-life situations caused by retailers. Here are our top offenders to date:
Walmart: Turning Humans Into Animals
Walmart pops up in the news on a regular basis—most often with a negative headline—for various reasons. But we have an issue specifically with Walmart’s incitement to excessive consumerism.
By setting ultra low prices, Walmart effectively promotes wasteful consumer spending with the motto: “It’s cheap, just buy it.” On Black Friday, this effect is heightened to the point where people’s wants are turned into needs, which leads to violence.
Walmart has a history of Black Friday injuries, rightfully earning its spot as our first and worst offender. This retail monster transforms its stores into a morbid shopping scene each year. Incidents range from pepper spray attacks to killings over parking spots to deadly stampedes.
With so many horrific past incidents—all in the name of consumerism—it’s safe to say that Walmart.Sucks.
Target: Indifference Trumps Humanity
This retailer is an all-time favorite among shoppers on Black Friday. And while Target doesn’t get quite as ugly as Walmart, it’s also had its fair share of unruly crowd incidents, with several people being crushed in a chaotic mob in 2010. Just one year later, a crowd of frenzied shoppers walked over an elderly man who had collapsed and later died. You’d think this would be enough to deter the company from promoting Black Friday shopping, but they’ve started teasing their deals and promotions early in the season.
Bear in mind that this all happened the day after Thanksgiving. It’s enough to make you feel like BlackFriday.Sucks.
Toys “R” Us: Guns Over Toys
The giant toy retailer has mastered the art of hyper-consumerism. Last year, Toys “R” Us stores were set to open at 5 p.m. on November 24. Yes, on Thanksgiving. Talk about a calculated marketing strategy that replaces a centuries-old tradition with rampant greed.
You wouldn’t expect a toy store to be a place of violence. Yet, in 2010, a woman who cut in line at a Toy “R” Us store in Wisconsin threatened to pull out a gun on people who complained. Clearly, that’s the spirit of the holidays.
When consumerism overcomes the joy of giving, you know something’s gone awry—honestly, HyperConsumerism.Sucks.
Your Local Mall: Violence on the Rise
While we had to include the major retailers above—they bank on Black Friday consumerism big time—local malls have also become the sites of fatal tragedies this year.
- One person was fatally shot outside a Macy’s at a New Jersey mall.
- A group of shoppers broke out into a violent brawl at a California mall, which was caught on video.
- Two people suffered gunshot wounds in the parking lot of a Tennessee mall.
We’ve only mentioned three, but there’s been too many shopping-related shootings this year to count, and we’re getting tired of it. All we have to say is that MallViolence.Sucks.
The Takeaway
Some brands react responsibly in the face of such terrible behavior. In Vancouver, Adidas canceled a sale after the crowd got so worked up that a man began whipping other people with his belt. Other companies refuse to take part. REI closed all its stores on Black Friday and paid for its employees to spend the day outside. If you’re a brand, consider doing what it takes to keep consumers safe. If you’re a shopper, why not sit this one out instead of joining the frenzy?
Whether you love Black Friday or think it sucks, there’s a .SUCKS domain for you. Start the conversation you want to be having by registering a .SUCKS domain today.
Photos: David Marcu, Mike Mozart, Mike Mozart, Mike Mozart, Shutterstock / Igor Stepovik
