The Official Black Friday "Thank You" Post

Last night, CNN Money reported that U.S. malls were more crowded than expected. Historically, Black Friday has been a day that kicks off the holiday shopping season, and crowds of shoppers will start lining up as early as 4 a.m. for "larger than life" deals.

According to CNN Money, holiday sales are "crucial" for retailers since sales in November and December can account for 50 percent of profits for the entire year. According to the National Retail Federation, this year's sales were expected to increase to 2.3 percent with 138 million expected shoppers. Last year, the holiday sales increased by 0.4 percent after a 3.9 percent decline in 2008.

As economists explain, consumer spending is vital for economic recovery. Adding to the cycle of the persistently-high unemployment rate are low rates of consumer spending: people with money are hesitant to spend-- and there's the obvious fact that many Americans are hurting economically and simply don't have money.

To boost sales this year, some stores opened extremely early-- between midnight after Thanksgiving and 5 in the morning. According to Toys R Us CEO Gerald Storch, lines were "between 500 to 1,000 people at every Toys R Us store nationwide." Expecting this kind of rush, retailers braced themselves by increasing the number of seasonal staff positions.

Reports like these inspire mixed feelings. On the one hand, we're happy to see consumers spending money because this behavior signifies a healthier economy. We want to see people shopping, spending, and celebrating-- especially since the last several years have been an absolute mess. On the other hand, many of us are disgusted by the materialism of the holiday season. We can't help but look at the early-birds and the week-long deal campers with a critical eye.  Dealing with crowds and deal-hungry shoppers doesn't exactly sound appealing-- even if we do have the chance of leaving with a 32-inch HDTV for under $200.

CNN Money's article draws attention to two of the most important driving forces for Black Friday-- the retailers and shoppers. We always hear stories of people camping out for stores and open at midnight in addition to the crowds and mobs of shoppers who strive to get their hands on the best deal possible.

Within these stories and Black Friday experiences, retail employees, store managers, and temp workers become somewhat anonymous. While Black Friday is exciting for shoppers and CEOs, it's exhausting for the people standing behind the registers, restocking shelves, and cleaning up after messes. Yes, a job is a job is a job, but could you imagine Black Friday from the perspective of a store employee?

Today, retail workers deserve a big thank-you: for keeping calm, maintaining order, and helping to keep the economy as healthy as possible. You are responsible career role models who absolutely rock.

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