US Economy: Black Friday, a dying institution of American capitalism? Are deals really worth it?

Is Black Friday worth it? Not only have brick-and-mortar retailers felt the push of Cyber Monday sales, but some companies like Amazon and eBay are beating in-store retailers to the punch by opening for business Thanksgiving morning. The lure and ease of the Internet has also evolved e-commerce and altered the shopper’s frame of mind, which all might be heralding the end of Black Friday as we once knew it. Is e-commerce turning Black Friday into a quaint antiquity, or does the tradition of sidewalk camping still yield the best deals.

“I personally would never advise someone to shop in-store on Black Friday,” says DealNews CEO Dan de Grandpre. “The savings are great. The question is: How much money are you saving for getting something and giving up a vacation day, versus buying one online and staying home?”

There are more than a few reasons to sit out Black Friday: the cold, the crowds, the pushing, the shoving, the general hysteria. “What is your time worth to you?” de Grandpre asks, suggesting you’re likely to find the same item online within $50 to $100, or even the same price. “The trend every year is that the deals online are almost as good, if you look at them as a whole.”

For more: Are Black Friday deals really worth it?