Black Friday can be very chaotic and exciting.  In the past, there have been numerous altercations and fights because of the commotion in shopping malls and stores. There are many benefits to this special shopping day full of savings and deals, but let’s not forget the problems that can arise as well. A variety of precautions should be taken by shoppers to avoid calamity on this very busy day of the holiday season.

An unfortunate example of a Black Friday tragedy occurred in 2008 at a Walmart in Valley Stream, New York.  An employee was trampled by consumers stampeding through the doors early on Black Friday. Increased measures to minimize accidents and control crowds have been put in place following serious mishaps such as this.

Some precautions are a good idea, for those who plan to brave the crowds.  It is ideal, for example, to put expensive purchases in the trunk and to carry a small wallet close on one’s body. Due to the extreme stress of high-stakes shopping, fights and altercations can erupt between employees and customers, customers and customers, anyone on  the scene.  Moreover, with all the turmoil among different ethnicities and the various cultural and political groups this past year, there is reasonable concern over the possibility of random shootings and bombings which may occur.

This year it is predicted that there will be fewer people in stores due to increased shopping online on Cyber Monday.  This could make things safer, but it’s hard to know for sure.  One has to consider carefully: Black Friday has amazing deals but are the risks worth it?