In our consumer-driven culture, when the cost of goods is soaring, one of the most radical things you can do is not to buy anything on Black Friday. That’s the message from “Mass Blackout,” a coalition of grassroots groups that are protesting the Trump administration’s policies and urging you not to participate in this year’s extended Black Friday sales.
The “blackout” will start on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (Thursday, November 26) and end the day after Cyber Monday (Tuesday, December 2).
This is not the only holiday protest, either: There’s also a second boycott underway targeting Amazon, Target, and Home Depot. It’s called “We Ain’t Buying It,” and it is happening around the same time.
In fact, it’s been a big year for boycotts, and some of them have been quite effective. For example, Target just reported another lackluster quarter and declining sales, partially due to backlash and a boycott from customers, after a rollback of its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.
And it’s not just the U.S. Many Canadians have started to forgo American products and are only buying “locally,” as the “Buy Canadian” movement has drawn record participation as a reaction to President Trump’s high tariffs on their country’s goods.
Here’s what to know about the upcoming “Mass Blackout” and “We Ain’t Buying It” boycotts.
What’s happening with the “Mass Blackout” protest?
The Mass Blackout, a nationwide economic action organized by a coalition of grassroots organizations, is calling Americans to:
- Stop online or in-store shopping (except for small businesses)
- Stop streaming, cancel subscriptions, and make no digital purchases
- Stop work (if you can)
- If you must spend: Support small, local businesses, and pay in cash
“No spending. No work. No surrender. The system isn’t broken. It’s working exactly as designed—for the wealthy,” the movement’s website says. “We’re not targeting small businesses or communities—we’re targeting the corporate systems that profit from injustice, fuel authoritarianism, and crush worker power.”
The boycott also includes avoiding nonessential travel, restaurants, and normal consumer behavior; staying off ad-driven platforms unless organizing; halting spending; logging off entertainment platforms; and donating to Feeding America to support those refusing to work.
What’s happening with the “We Ain’t Buying It” boycott?
The “We Ain’t Buying It” campaign is made up of a coalition of progressive groups including the No Kings Alliance and Indivisible, which were behind other anti-Trump protests earlier this year. It targets three companies: Target, Home Depot, and Amazon.
It is asking Americans “to withhold their purchasing power from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday” (November 27 to December 1) to protest the three retailers who, they allege, are cooperating directly with the Trump administration in these ways:
- Target, for its rollback on DEI
- Home Depot, for working with ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), which has been arresting, detaining, and deporting immigrants
- Amazon, for allegedly funding the Trump administration to secure corporate tax cuts
“When corporations align with cruelty and authoritarianism, they must understand that our purchasing power matters,” LaTosha Brown, cofounder of Black Voters Matter and a member of the “We Ain’t Buying It” coalition, said in a statement. “Economic noncooperation is a powerful, nonviolent tool for a free people, and we plan to use it to make America better for all of us—not just the wealthy few.”
Why are these Black Friday boycotts happening now?
The boycotts come as the gap between the richest and poorest Americans is widening in an increasingly bifurcated economy.
They target billionaires and businesses supporting the Trump administration, which they argue is eroding civil rights; labor protections; and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives; and is weakening the United States’ democratic institutions. In that sense, they are both political and economic boycotts.