By ReAnn Cappel

With every Thanksgiving comes the madness of shopping that is Black Friday. Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving sale where numerous stores mark down products to consumers’ delight.

Corporations use various methods of advertising to get the word out to shoppers of what products will be on sale. According to statistics compiled by Hubspot, a marketing blog, nearly 75 percent of corporations used their Facebook page to reach out to customers in 2011. Email advertising continues to rise. In 2011, 85 percent of companies sent an advertising email to their consumers, up from 80 percent in 2010. U.S. spending reached $9.7 billion in the first 20 days of the holiday shopping season.

However, Black Friday is also dangerous. Nine Walmart locations in the US reported acts of violence. Is the risk actually worth the reward? There are students and faculty members at AHS on both sides of the debate.

When asked if she was going Black Friday shopping Junior Maren McNees said, “Yes, because you can get stuff pretty cheap, and I like cheap.” McNees plans to shop in the Omaha area making stops at Westroads Mall and Scheels.

On the contrary side Taylor Jones said, “No, because I don’t want to get killed. It gets too crazy for me.” Taylor’s stance is due to a previous bad experience. “I went to Jordan Creek, there were a lot of fights, even blood. It was also so packed that you could barely walk throughout the mall.”

Junior Kristen Johnk also sides with Jones. She said, “No I won’t participate because last year was a bad experience.” Johnk shopped at Orschelns and Walmart last year.

Para-educator Gina Honke also will not be shopping on Black Friday because she plans to attend the Iowa vs. Nebraska football game instead. Honke said she has shopped in the past, including a trip to a Des Moines store which yielded a no expenses. Honke was the 100th customer and the store picked up her tab of 300 dollars.

Teacher Natalie Ross is a faculty member that will be shopping. Ross said, “Yes, because I go with my mom and sisters every year.” However, Ross waits until some of the madness has subsided and goes later in the morning to the stores.