Why you won’t see Black Friday Codes here

Black Friday has traditionally been an American holiday, the day after their Thanksgiving. But in the last few years, it has crept into the Irish retail space and last year I certainly felt that it was ‘everywhere’! But is it a good thing? 

So, to answer the question; why you won’t see Black Friday Codes here or on my Social Media? Well, it’s because I have fallen out of love with the constant sell, sell, sell. On Monday this week, the constant discount code pushing began from every angle on social media and rather than feeling like I was going to ‘bag a bargain’, it just made me feel a little deflated. It just does not sit well with me anymore.

If you didn’t need a product before and perhaps had not even noticed it, why would it be a ‘bargain’ with 10%, 20% even 40% off the retail price? Why do you need it now that it is discounted? 

What I think has left me deflated on Instagram, in particular, is that SO many of the codes are for what I would see as fast fashion retailers. Influencer after influencer is sharing the same discount codes over and over, and sharing swipe up affiliate links to try and get you to shop through their links. It is so sad that in a time where the lid has been lifted, so to speak, on the fashion industry with regards the impact on the environment and the importance of shopping more sustainably/ethically/consciously, that anything learned seems to have been forgotten about.

However, if you have your eye on something that you need or truly have fallen in love with, then yes, by all means, you should buy when it is cheaper! That makes complete sense and in the same mindset, if there is a gift that you have your eye on and it is less on Black Friday then buy it. This is especially true of the larger retailers where the drop in margin is not felt as much.

But, for the smaller brands and the creatives, many have said to me that they feel a pressure to give a discount or a promo code for Black Friday/Cyber Monday. That isn’t right, especially when so many pour their love and creativity into each piece that they create. They feel the loss in margin/profit much more in their pocket, and if I am buying from a local designer then I will always pay the full price where possible. If they offer a discount it is appreciated but I would NEVER ask to take from their pocket. That is why I purchased some items from Irish Designers before this weekend so that I knew that there would be no discount online for them. And it’s not that I have loads of money, it’s just that I choose to spend consciously and plan for pieces that I want to buy.  For the past two years, I have shared discounts for Irish Designed pieces and I won’t be doing that again.

So why not do something different this weekend? Something for someone else or yourself perhaps? Can you donate some items to a charity shop? Go on that hike you keep saying you will do? Go support local makers at the local market (Here are the Galway ones this weekend). Can you visit that older neighbour that you avoid popping to as they talk for ages? Can you simply be present at the moment with loved ones with no phone beside you? Can you take a walk outside and refresh your own system? Declutter? Instead of spending €100 on clothes that you don’t need, why not book flights somewhere new to go explore? This may sound fluffy, or perhaps I even sound judgy (which I’m not trying to be!), but I truly think that something needs to change and unless us as consumers stop buying into this, nothing will change.

What are your thoughts on Black Friday and Cyber Monday? Do you think that they are a good thing?