Boycott Black Friday
Sales…the thrill of scoring a bargain. We all know the feeling. It’s like you won the lottery, for a short while AT LEAST. Then the fog lifts. A question floats in the air. Undecipherable earlier amidst the adrenaline rush, you can now finally hear it…Did I need this, anyway? The answer rings in your ear. No, not really.
This year, like every year since our brand was founded, Thread Tales will not be dropping its prices and we want you to know why. Here are 6 reasons why we will not be joining Black Friday:
This year, like every year since our brand was founded, Thread Tales will not be dropping its prices and we want you to know why. Here are 6 reasons why we will not be joining Black Friday:
Are you sure you are actually saving money?
Retailers factor in a ‘sales margin’ to their profit. This means that the original price at which the product is bought is significantly inflated prior to being marked down to ensure profit. How else would brands be able to mark down so often, so consistently and still survive?
Retailers factor in a ‘sales margin’ to their profit. This means that the original price at which the product is bought is significantly inflated prior to being marked down to ensure profit. How else would brands be able to mark down so often, so consistently and still survive?
The Psychology of Bargains.
We can hardly help it. We see those prices drop and we are lured into thinking we are saving money. In fact, this is a very effective marketing technique which makes us likely to spend more, even when we did not intend to spend in the first place, often getting something we did not need to begin with.
It’s like the 99p psychological scam. How much better does it ‘feel’ to pay £19.99 rather than £20.00? Sure, it may feel good at the start to pay 50% less for something. But actually, could have done without it in the first place? Most likely the answer is yes. During sales, we are often also tricked into buying something we neither need, nor even really want, or that fits badly, simply because psychologically we love a ‘good deal’.
We can hardly help it. We see those prices drop and we are lured into thinking we are saving money. In fact, this is a very effective marketing technique which makes us likely to spend more, even when we did not intend to spend in the first place, often getting something we did not need to begin with.
It’s like the 99p psychological scam. How much better does it ‘feel’ to pay £19.99 rather than £20.00? Sure, it may feel good at the start to pay 50% less for something. But actually, could have done without it in the first place? Most likely the answer is yes. During sales, we are often also tricked into buying something we neither need, nor even really want, or that fits badly, simply because psychologically we love a ‘good deal’.
It’s a Trap!
Retailers know the consumer mind and use this knowledge to drive sales. This happens also through effective stratagems put into place both online and in-store. Ever wondered why the sales racks are often surrounded by neatly stacked New Arrivals? Or why, when browsing sale items online, amidst the ‘recommended options’ and ‘similar products’ there predictably features new merchandise? How many times did you walk in with the idea of getting something on sale and got tempted by the new collection?
Retailers know the consumer mind and use this knowledge to drive sales. This happens also through effective stratagems put into place both online and in-store. Ever wondered why the sales racks are often surrounded by neatly stacked New Arrivals? Or why, when browsing sale items online, amidst the ‘recommended options’ and ‘similar products’ there predictably features new merchandise? How many times did you walk in with the idea of getting something on sale and got tempted by the new collection?
Who really pays the price?
If there is still profit in a marked down item, where is the compromise? The answer is the people behind the production of your item as well as the planet will most likely pay the price. Generally, a decent living wage, fair working conditions, and environmentally considerate production processes are compromised for the sake of a smaller price tag. The wellbeing of human beings, of our very own planet, and ultimately of yourself is the compromise made in order for you to ‘feel good’ about your bargain.
If there is still profit in a marked down item, where is the compromise? The answer is the people behind the production of your item as well as the planet will most likely pay the price. Generally, a decent living wage, fair working conditions, and environmentally considerate production processes are compromised for the sake of a smaller price tag. The wellbeing of human beings, of our very own planet, and ultimately of yourself is the compromise made in order for you to ‘feel good’ about your bargain.
Happily ever after?
The damage doesn’t even end at the moment of purchase. As an article from The Ethical Consumer reads: “This type of unsustainable consumption puts a strain on resources and is devastating for our planet, as cheap goods bought in a rush end up in landfill, often only a few months later”. As statistics from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation confirms that one truck of clothing is landfilled and incinerated every second as a result of Black Friday weekend.
The damage doesn’t even end at the moment of purchase. As an article from The Ethical Consumer reads: “This type of unsustainable consumption puts a strain on resources and is devastating for our planet, as cheap goods bought in a rush end up in landfill, often only a few months later”. As statistics from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation confirms that one truck of clothing is landfilled and incinerated every second as a result of Black Friday weekend.
Shop Small, Make a Big Difference
Black Friday is detrimental for small businesses, who cannot compete against this ruthless price cutting.
Sustainable brands struggle with this massive mark-up model: if they want to pay their workers fairly and meet the demands of wholesalers they have to inflate their prices - and it’s the customer that pays for this.
Let’s change the culture we are immersed in where the boast is all about how little you paid for something. The next time someone compliments you on your new purchase, feel proud to know that you have chosen something that has a positive message, where the price reflects the value of the person that made it and of the resources used to produce it. Say it aloud so that those around you will start changing the way they think about it too.
Next time you see plunging prices, think with pride and fondness of your Thread Tales’ item, made ethically and crafted to last. As they scream ‘reductions’, answer ‘cost per wear’. When they say ‘Buy 1, get 1 free’, reply ‘buy less and wear it more’. When they ask you about what you’re wearing, tell them about your item’s great story, not its price.
Black Friday is detrimental for small businesses, who cannot compete against this ruthless price cutting.
Sustainable brands struggle with this massive mark-up model: if they want to pay their workers fairly and meet the demands of wholesalers they have to inflate their prices - and it’s the customer that pays for this.
Let’s change the culture we are immersed in where the boast is all about how little you paid for something. The next time someone compliments you on your new purchase, feel proud to know that you have chosen something that has a positive message, where the price reflects the value of the person that made it and of the resources used to produce it. Say it aloud so that those around you will start changing the way they think about it too.
Next time you see plunging prices, think with pride and fondness of your Thread Tales’ item, made ethically and crafted to last. As they scream ‘reductions’, answer ‘cost per wear’. When they say ‘Buy 1, get 1 free’, reply ‘buy less and wear it more’. When they ask you about what you’re wearing, tell them about your item’s great story, not its price.
Wear Something that Means Something
