Here is a concise summary of the provided text:
**Title:** Behind the Scenes of Black Friday
**Summary:**
A former store manager shares their experiences working on Black Friday, describing chaotic scenes and revealing marketing tactics. They claim that:
1. **Prices are often inflated before Black Friday** to make discounts appear deeper.
2. **Not all deals are genuine**, with some prices returning to their normal levels after the promotional period.
3. **Research is key** to finding actual good deals, using price comparison tools to avoid being misled by promotional advertising.
The speaker also touches on the origins of Black Friday, the challenges of working in retail during this period, and hints at sharing more behind-the-scenes stories and facts learned from their experience.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text, keeping each fact short and opinion-free, numbered for reference:
1. **Event Name**: The event discussed is called "Black Friday".
2. **Global Participation**: Black Friday takes place practically all over the world.
3. **Original Context - Theory 1**: The Philadelphia police may have coined "Black Friday" post-Thanksgiving Day due to the large crowds.
4. **Original Context - Theory 2**: "Black" might refer to positive balances (vs. "red" for negatives) when stores' financials turned from negative to positive due to Christmas shopping.
5. **Timing in the United States**: Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving Day in the United States.
6. **Preparation Timeframe**: Stores often prepare for Black Friday three days in advance.
7. **Customer Behavior**: Some people camp outside stores overnight to be the first in line for Black Friday deals.
8. **Common Practice by Stores**: Before Black Friday, some stores increase prices on items to make the subsequent discounts appear deeper.
9. **Discount Reality**: The discounted price on Black Friday might only be a return to the original price before the pre-sale increase.
10. **Research Benefit**: Thorough research can help consumers find genuine deals, with some websites allowing price comparisons over time.
11. **Price Increase Before Sale**: Some items see price hikes before Black Friday to make the sale price more appealing, even if it's the original price.
12. **Work Schedule Conflict**: Employees working on Black Friday may miss out on family time traditionally spent on the day after Thanksgiving in the United States.
13. **Existence of Genuine Deals**: While rare, genuine promotions can be found with diligent research, but these are in the minority.