Woodlands Mall debunks the Black Friday myth alleged by the Wall Street Journal

THE WOODLANDS, Texas—The Wall Street Journal maintains that ‘Black Friday’ deals are a myth. On Tuesday, October 9, Dana Mattioli’s article provided data that stated the best holiday deals are almost never on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.

Competition for the holiday shopping dollar is fierce, so it’s inconceivable that merchants would actually inflate prices to garner their share. To either support or debunk the myth, Woodlands Online contacted Noemi Cortez, the marketing manager for The Woodlands Mall, whose experience includes three years as public relations coordinator for Neiman Marcus Houston Galleria.

“The retailers here at The Woodlands Mall take Black Friday very seriously. Everything points to the fact that the sales and offers will be very special this year. And, it’s a fact that the early-morning Black Friday shoppers will be the ones to take advantage of them first,” said Cortez.

The increase in online shopping has presented significant data for researchers looking trying to determine retailers' pricing strategies and pinpoint when prices are lowest. Decide Inc., the consumer-price research firm that gathered and analyzed the data for the Wall Street Journal article, will use the data to tell consumers when it’s the best time to buy items. However, Decide didn't track in-store prices, therefore, its findings don't reflect the "door buster" specials offered during Black Friday by brick-and-mortar stores.

“Black Friday is such a fun shopping day. There’s an energy that fills The Woodlands Mall like no other day. Everyone is laughing, having fun -- looking for bargains. It’s an early start to the day to be sure, but it’s worth it to get great prices of holiday gifts,” said Cortez.

“The NRF [National Retail Federation] is estimating that holiday sales will increase 4.1 percent. And nearly one-fifth of the industry’s annual sales come directly from sales made in the months of November and December. The NRF also noted that a record number of shoppers used the holiday weekend to purchase deeply discounted holiday gifts, either for themselves or others. And it all starts on Black Friday,” said Cortez. “This year is unique, too, because in 2012, there are 33 days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, three more than last year – and that includes an extra weekend for shopping.”

Black Friday is typically the best time to find incredibly steep discounts on selected items, but merchants can’t guarantee that the quantity will last. That’s contingent on the number of customers who will purchase the items, how many each customer will purchase, etc. Retailers use these ‘specials’ to get people in their doors, even at the cost of losing money on the sale.

The Woodlands Mall is owned and managed by General Growth Properties (GGP) and boasts of having 1,350,000 square feet of retail shopping, with almost one hundred stores. If there’s a ‘must have’ for a holiday gift, The Woodlands Mall merchants assure you that it’s well worth your time to pack your Snuggie and Thanksgiving dinner leftovers, and get in line. This year Black Friday is November 23. Go to The Woodlands Mall website for more information on Black Friday and other upcoming sales.