The views expressed in this article belong to the reporter, and do not reflect the views held by Rockbridge County High School, the Prowler Staff, and its members.

The holiday shopping season is quickly approaching. Ever since the late 1900’s, people have been participating in Black Friday. After kicking off the holiday season, they are able to take advantage of deals just in time for Christamas. 

Black Friday allows for extended store hours and insane deals. For some this is exhilarating, they are able to search through stores in order to find the best deals. Many families have even made a tradition out of Black Friday shopping and are able to get all of their Christamas shopping out of the way. 

However, Black Friday can also be extremely difficult to navigate. People will fight one another and stand in line for hours just to buy one item at a discounted price. Many are caught up in all the excitement and typically buy things they do not even need just because it is a good deal. Some stores have even been found artificially raising prices right before Black Friday begins so their discount seems higher than it actually is. The most shocking part of all of this is the mania it causes. Every year accidents happen inside these stores causing people to become injured.

In recent years with the development of technology another phenomenon has taken place, Cyber Monday. Cyber Monday has allowed people to avoid crowds all together and take advantage of these deals all from the comfort of their home. You are able to easily compare prices between websites without having to go from store to store. If you have young children you can still accomplish their Christmas shopping without having to find a babysitter right after Black Friday. It also gives many another chance to shop these deals if they are traveling during Thanksgiving.

While Cyber Monday seems very convenient it could become an even bigger hassle in the long run. Because you are unable to see what you are buying before you get it, return issues can be a problem and you may not have time to exchange things before the holidays roll around. You also have to pay for the merchandise and wait for it to ship, which could take weeks. Websites could crash causing you to lose the items you have in your cart. It also completely takes away the family aspect of normal Black Friday shopping. 

I believe Cyber Monday allows for more flexibility and convenience. You can take advantage of the great deal from your home and enjoy your Thanksgiving with family. You are able to easily compare prices on different websites. Cyber Monday has its disadvantages, but its efficiency makes it the best choice.