I think American merchants have Black Friday all wrong, here's the logic (or lack there of:

a. On Black Friday, merchants cut their prices in some case 50 to 75%.
b. The reduced prices creates a stampede to the store and folks buy some bargains and some other stuff too. As a result of the stampede, they run out of stuff, and so loose some potential sales.
c. They do this to ramp volume, and so ramp profits that they didn't make all year when the prices were higher, and the demand was lower.
d. Demand will always be high after Thanksgiving because Christmas is coming. Its the highest demand period of the year.
e. ERGO, and conversely, if the low Black Friday prices make merchants profitable after being in the red all year, then their high prices all year are indicated as a reason a part of their demand was not there.
f. In most markets, increased demand equals increased prices, reduced demand drives price down.

ERGO again (on my second beer now): To be profitable, therefore stay in business, therefore hire the most Americans who will now have jobs and money to buy stuff:

a. Keep the prices down all year.
b. Watch people buy more with less money available to them, and see profits increase do to higher volume, not higher price. (Walmart model)
c. As the demand is ready to peak on Black Friday, jack the prices up till Christmas. High deman, high price. Shoppers who shop late have no choice but to pay the higher prices.
d. More shoppers will shop during the year, buy early for Christmas evening out the workload at the stores and making staffing more consistent. Its expensive to hire, and sometimes more expensive to fire.
e. Its easier, you have more time to acquire stocks and so cheaper for delivery costs to stock inventory to a store that has consistent non-peaking demand. Its more profitable to order excessive amounts of stock with short lead times for high traffic high demand times, when you know you will make more money to help offset the higher cost of transportation and shipping during rush ordering, and during the winter months when delivery costs tend to be higher due to road conditions.

I don't think the fed ought bailout the banks and car makers. I think the fed ought bailout small business and the chain store retailers, allowing them to lower prices now subsidized by the fed, so we all can buy more, and stimulate the economy from the bottom up.

Time for the 3rd beer....so will end here......can't read the letters on the key board any more I ALSO SUPPORT LOWER BOOSE PRICES, ESPECIALLY IMPORTS OF CORONA, TEQUILLA, MOLSON, GUINESS, MOOSEHEAD, AND LABATTS. International trade support is important. If demand for Mexican beer increases, Mexican breweries will hire more people and more Mexicans will stay home and avoid the moat and alligators. American Beer makers ought follow the govt subsidized plan for retailers outlined above.

I will be running for a govt office next year, and the next year, and the next year, and as long as my wife has my car keys, a rolling pin, and the police station is within walking distance.