[tubemonkey]

Black Friday as we know it is finally dead

This could be the year Black Friday finally unravels.

At least one retailer is already thinking ahead to a different Black Friday game plan this year.

Macy's CEO Jeff Gennette raised the issue with analysts just last week. "When you look at the stores, I would tell you that [crowds are] a big concern of ours. But when you think about a Black Friday, if you think about the 10 days before Christmas, what does that mean in terms of traffic if people are nervous about gathering with crowds?"

At the same time, more consumers have actively embraced online shopping. Noting the trend, Gennette said Macy's is looking to focus on online deals for Black Friday.

Macy's (M)is also considering a much earlier start to its Black Friday marketing push, potentially right after Halloween, and plans to adopt one other tactic for the first time during the upcoming holiday shopping season.

"Curbside pickup is going to be a big secret weapon for us. We didn't have it last holiday season," said Gennette. "We think that's going to be huge for this holiday season."

Industry watchers say Black Friday has been losing its relevance with shoppers in recent years.

One reason is because retailers started to spread their deals out over many days instead of just one day. And consumers increasingly have turned to the internet to find even deeper deals than in-store bargains, forcing more holiday shopping to shift online.

"I think it's accurate to say that online sales now account for as much as 40% of Black Friday sales," said Rankin.

Online sales were rising even before the pandemic. In 2019, shoppers spent more than $600 billion online, up nearly 15% from the previous year, according to the Commerce Department.

"Black Friday has definitely transitioned more into a digital affair in the past five years," said Neil Saunders, retail analyst and managing director at GlobalData Retail. "The focal point is not that single day anymore. It's an event spread out over several days."