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Black Friday - At what cost?
By Curtis Baillie, CSC

This article was first printed in SecurityInfoWatch.com (2008)

Another “Black Friday”, retail sales event has come and gone.  Again, this year there were reports of customer injuries, and at least one reported fatality due directly to the reported failure of retailers to take proper precautions.  Injuries to customers happen every year. There has been enough history to put retailers on notice that they have a “duty” to protect their invited guests. Retailers spend huge dollar amounts advertising the events, trying to draw as many customers to their stores. Once the customers have arrived, many do not know how to control the crowds waiting to ascend the store. Here are some tips on crowd control for those special event sales:   

   Some retailers issue numbered coupons to customers waiting in line. If the retailer has, several special priced items available color-code the numbered coupons. Only hand out coupons for the numbers of special priced items available for purchase in the store. Numbered wristbands also work well. Customers who fail to get a coupon or wristband can opt out, thus making the line more organized. 

  Have an employee work the line handing out maps of the store, indicating where the sale merchandise is located in the store. Place special signing in the store – directing customers to the sale merchandise. Station key employees around the store who are able to communicate to management when suspected problem areas develop. 

  Management should talk to the customers in line about the sale. Give precautions about safety and the customer etiquette expected. Don’t forget to document the safety measures dictated to the customers waiting in line. If something goes wrong, this documentation could work in your favor in case of a lawsuit. 

  Some retailers hiring entertainers, such as clowns and magicians, to occupy the attention of customers waiting in lines. This has the effect of grabbing the crowd’s attention and directing focus away from waiting for the doors to open. 

  The practice of letting crowds in the store and allowing them to gather at the foot of pallets is an option. The crowd is already in the store thus eliminating the door – buster rush. You still need to control the crowd at the displays. At least one retailer did this. They even had crowd control barriers setup around the displays. The store held a big countdown and the employees started handing out the boxes of VCRs. Apparently not fast enough as the crowd rushed the display. The store staff then threw the boxes up into the crowd. One of the boxes hit a customer in the head causing severe brain damage. This customer was also pushed to the floor and stepped on.

As a result of the 2008 “Black Friday” sales event at the Long Island, NY Wal-Mart it’s reported that New York City Councilman, James F. Gennaro is working on a “door-buster bill” that would require large retailers to make proper security arrangements when special sales event like “black Friday” are likely to attract large crowds.

If retailers fail to respond appropriately to protect customers during these special sales events, no doubt local governments are going to take the necessary steps to mandate security and crowd control.
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Readers desiring additional information on these or related subjects should contact a qualified professional security consultant and/or their attorney. This article is written for general information purposes only and is not intended to be, and should not be used as, a primary source for making security decisions. The author is not an attorney, is not engaged in the practice of law, and is not rendering legal advice.  The author of this article shall have no liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss, liability, or damage alleged to have been caused by the use or application of any information in this article, nor information contained on this or any linked or related web site.