Black Friday: What bargains reveal about the economy

What began as an American tradition conquered Germany in the 2010s and has since become a fixture on the local retail calendar. Black Friday (this year on November 28th) refers to the Friday after Thanksgiving and traditionally marks the start of the Christmas shopping season. Retailers lure customers with enticing discounts, and what started as a single day has long since become a whole Black Week, culminating in Cyber Monday on December 1st.

But can you really save money here? And what conclusions can this shopping spectacle draw about the current economic climate?