Five Reasons Montana is Dead Last for Black Friday Shopping

Do you love shopping?

If you love to shop, then perhaps this story doesn't apply to you. Shopping fanatics will be out in full force at the crack of oh-dark-thirty on Black Friday morning, racing from store to store to catch the various "doorbuster" bargains at each retailer.

They'll get a thrill from jostling amongst countless other bargain seekers on what has traditionally been the kick-off to the holiday shopping season.

Others hate to shop.

I land in this category and I can promise you that I will not be leaving my house on Black Friday, other than to go to the Holiday Nights lights display at ZooMontana or to make a beer run to my neighborhood convenience store.

Apparently, I'm not alone, because according to the fashion experts at Boohoo.com Montanans rank dead last for people who care about Black Friday. 

Southerners care about Black Friday the most.

Based on Google search term analysis, Boohoo.com gave each state a score.

These terms were then combined to give each American state a 'total Black Friday search score' to discover which states have been the most interested in Black Friday over the past five years. The search terms that have been used to determine the results include: ‘Black Friday', 'Black Friday deals', 'Black Friday online', 'Black Friday clothes' and 'Black Friday online deals'.

The #1 state where people were interested in Black Friday was Kentucky, followed by West Virginia, Arkansas, Alabama, and Mississippi. The report didn't explain why Montana doesn't care about Black Friday, but I have some theories below.

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1. We don't like crowds.

We're an independent bunch and we like our space. Black Friday is the complete opposite and I find the whole experience somewhat claustrophobic.

2. It's hunting season. Duh.

General deer season ends November 28th. Many Montana hunters take advantage of the Thanksgiving holiday to fill any remaining deer tags.

3. We'd rather spend time with family.

Perhaps we'd rather spend our precious holiday time with family (that may have traveled for hours on crappy roads) than fight crowds for cheap, imported junk?

4. Oh yeah... crappy roads.

Thanksgiving weather is hit or miss in Montana, but there is always a good chance that it will be wintery on Black Friday. If it is... the last thing many of us want to do is fight traffic on slick streets and crowded icy parking lots.

5.  We see through the BS.

I feel like Black Friday has lost much of its "wow" in the last decade or so. Almost every retailer now offers early deals, both online and in person. Fighting other shoppers for cheap TVs and air fryers in the early morning, the day after we just reflected on how thankful we are, kind of seems like hype. And Montanans have limited tolerance for that.