REI Urges Customers to #OptOutside for Black Friday

In a surprising turn this holiday shopping season, many stores are opting out of Black Friday altogether, even though it can be the biggest shopping day of the year for some retailers. But with Black Friday edging earlier and earlier every year – some on Thanksgiving evening, some even starting on Wednesday – it’s rather refreshing to see so many stores shutting the door for the day. Plus, some retailers have actually noticed a decline in sales on Black Friday with forces like Cyber Monday on its tails. Some consumers want to skip the mad dash to the store and wait to see what e-commerce deals they can score a few days later. REI led the charge for closing on Black Friday, instead urging its customers to spend the day outside.