Abstract
Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is a retail term in the United States thatsignifies the start of the Christmas holiday shopping season. While the media has
documented aggressive behaviors of consumers on Black Friday, empirical research
based on observations of consumer behavior is minimal. Black Friday has been tied to
consumer frustration and aggression as it is traditionally known for waiting outdoors in
cold weather, chaos, large crowds, long lines, and sold out "hot items." The purpose of
this study was to provide a unique empirical perspective on the causes of Black Friday
consumers' frustration, the types of shopping strategies that were used by consumers, and
how technology was incorporated into consumers' experience on one of the busiest
shopping days of the year. While the current research suggests that a few select shoppers
demonstrated aggressiveness, this small number poses a safety concern to store personnel
and other consumers. Furthermore, the findings provide implications for safety and well
being for consumers and employees and creating a customer service oriented philosophy
and approach. Retailers need to address the issue of frustration that occurs with
consumers on Black Friday if they are serious about reducing consumer frustration and
improving consumer satisfaction.
| Date of Award | 2014 |
|---|---|
| Original language | American English |
| Awarding Institution |
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| Supervisor | Lisa Moyer (Supervisor) |