Black Friday has become White Noise. Door busters are now 24 hour binges. Cyber Monday has become cyber week. Retailers beckon with "Black Friday in September." With the days and deals blurred beyond recognition, all that's left of the Black Friday we've known for decades is nostalgia. And while many shoppers still feel a little tug of the heartstrings thinking back to the good old days, its evolution brings convenience and collaboration to the holiday shopping experience. Here are five ways how.

2. Door busters are now 24-hour binges.
Cyber Monday has become cyber week.
Target beckons with “Black Friday in September”
.
Black Friday has become White Noise.
All that’s left of the Black Friday we’ve known and loved for decades is nostalgia, with the
days and deals blurred beyond recognition. And while many shoppers still feel a little tug of
the heartstrings thinking back to the good old days, its reincarnation, an experience with
the same soul but a different body, gives more shoppers the deals they’re looking for at
their leisure, on their device of choice. Here are five ways how.

5. one-day-only deals
are replaced by
always-on deals
Brands and stores are “leaking” deals earlier and earlier every year via social
media, making it easier for you to share socially via whatever device you
happen to be on, rather than the traditional in-person prep with your posse.
Retailers post deal after deal, many times only days apart, one-upping
yesterday’s 20% off with 25% off and free shipping tomorrow — and it’s all
being pushed via Twitter, Facebook, email, even Instagram and Pinterest.
Retailers are training us, saying “hey, if you miss today’s great deal, not to
worry, another one is right around the corner.”

7. the thrill of the
hunt is replaced
by the thrill of the
UPS delivery text
These days, rather than scheming with friends and mapping out who goes
where to look for which deals, you rely on the best deal-watching sites and
apps via social media. Gilt.com lets you put your name on a waiting list if
something’s sold out, and Zappos.com will email you the second your
desired item is available for purchase. Last year, Walmart created a handy
little Black Friday app that told you exactly where the deals would be and
at what time. The thrill that used to come from physically having that hot
little item in your hot little hands has been replaced by the thrill of getting
a UPS text message telling you a package has been delivered.

9. me-me-me
is replaced by
we-we-we
In the good old days, your personal success was dictated by the size
of your Black Friday haul — which you’d relay in multiple phone calls to
your friends. These days, bragging rights are less about deal hoarding
and all about deal sharing. With experiences like Target’s Cartwheel,
your network of friends gets to see when you’ve redeemed a coupon,
and how much you saved. Not only does sharing the best deals and
deal-watching apps via social media help your street cred, it can also
be rewarding. Sites like ShopBop give you a $25 gift certificate when
you invite friends — so the kudos go both ways.

11. one big social
event is replaced by
multiple solo surfs
Prepping for Black Friday used to be as much about the camaraderie as it
was about the deals. But the days of getting everyone together to plan are
long gone. With so many devices on hand, people are shopping more
often, in more places and in more ways, effectively breaking up the posse
you used to plan and shop with. So instead of 4 AM coffee runs, you can
relax while claiming deals in your PJs from the comfort of your couch, bed
or favorite tropical vacation spot.

13. finding your deals
is replaced by your
deals finding you
Today, no hunting and gathering required. Sites like BradsDeals.com
ping you the second a new Black Friday circular is dropped, so you just
have to sit back and wait. Plus, deal-watching sites like Hukkster.com
and Amazon Price Watch and apps like PopSugar do it all for you.
Simply drop in your wish list and wait for texts and emails to come to
you. What used to take hours can now be squeezed in between getting
out of work and dropping the kids off at soccer practice.

15. So the fact is,
Black Friday truly has
become White Noise.
But that’s not a bad thing.
Shoppers are always on,
and retailers are finally
giving them what they want.
Discuss. #BlackFridayWhiteNoise