Westermans Nieuwe Wereld: Episode 5

Instead of giving a step-by-step of episode 5 [you can watch the episode by clicking here], I will discuss my own thoughts on the episode with my own experience as an American consumer/former American consumer. I'm still a consumer and will be again one day in America, but currently I can't quite do so in America. You know, while I'm living and working in the Netherlands...

For starters, the beginning of the episode. Aside from the easily-amused woman and the Tickle Me Elmo Doll, I thought it was great how Max interviewed, in the midst of a line waiting outside of a store in New York City, a few Nederlanders who were also waiting to get into the store.

Black Friday. Do you know what this means? The day after Thanksgiving, stores open extra early for the Christmas shopping kick-off day. I mean some stores open at 6 AM, but the line outside begins before this. Most stores have 4-hour sales beginning at 6 AM. Some customers hide items in the store the night before so they are assured to get their item. Many customers come in as a family unit with planned lists of where to go first. They break off in small groups and work at their post, a specific department. Grabbing the deals. Some of the shoppers are in their pajamas! Most stores offer coffee, tea, orange juice and donuts or muffins for free for their customers on this date.

If you are in America on the day after Thanksgiving, I dare you to go to the shopping centers at 5 AM. Not sure which store to try? Try Macy's. Take a look at the parking lots! I double-dare you to go inside of the store when the doors are opened.

What I am trying to explain is Black Friday [day after Thankgiving] is one of the only unique times you will see such a crowd, ready to knock the doors down. It is not weekly, as some may assume. If a new video game entertainment system or all-in-one handset with a fruit as it's company name is released, you may see people outside of the store for their place in line. Or when a rock band does yet another tour which could be their final tour ever, people will camp outside of the ticket agency overnight for their place in line.

Credit issues are indeed a problem with many people in America. At first, it is typically easy to get credit. Easier to buy things. Easier to travel. But beware: The lower your credit score is, the harder it is to buy a home or a car. Or to get other credit. So there are companies who will offer to you a loan. Even if you have bad credit! It had been, for the last few decades, quite simple to get credit or to get a loan. And for those whose credit sunk after aquiring these loans, the agencies began to pop up with their own 'solutions' to help people consolidate their debt.

I learned how to manage my finances from my grandmother. She was raised during the Great Depression and told me often, "Don't buy anything unless you can pay cash for it." In other words: if you can't afford it, you shouldn't buy it. However, to my surprise, I found I had to get a credit card in order to build credit so I could one day buy a nice car. The bank refused to give me an auto loan because simply I had no credit at all! It felt like a trap, but I figured to have a credit card was possibly a good thing. For an emerency situation, for example. But it has always been quite tempting to buy those shoes I've been eyeing, or tempting to take a cruise to some tropical destination. Just plop it on my credit! Easy as 1-2-3.

No-no-no!

A friend in America recently was applying for new jobs. She was going back to work after her children were finally old enough and in school during the day, so she wanted a part time job. She told me they were doing credit checks on her during the application process [?]. What is this all about?!

There are many companies offering "help" to those who need financing, loans or help due to credit problems. So say you need to buy a car or want to consolidate your credit debts to one lender. Here are a few examples offered in America on television ads:






I notice this is beginning in the Netherlands. Slowly. They are already trying to warn people to avoid buying big, like with this ad called Blijf Positief [English: stay positive]. Their message: Don't be tempted to buy something big, even if the store offers a good payment program.



You can laugh about it all you want, but this will begin in the Netherlands. The mom and pop stores may slowly disappear... Personally, I hope not. Though I miss stores like Target and Wal-Mart, I don't want to see small shops torn down to build parking lots for these large stores. However, a few large places where these shops could be placed is next to the Ikea stores seen on the side of the snelweg [English: motorway or freeway] in the Netherlands...

As for marketing in the Netherlands, the stores do it just as much as in America. I already get enough ads weekly in the Netherlands to wallpaper my living room. See the photo at the beginning of this blog entry. Those were all delivered to my home within 24 hours. There are, in total, 57 ads! Advertising new kitchens, new home electronics on sale, new beds, new furniture on sale, new home accessories, new flooring, new window coverings... The list goes on and on. Many ads proclaiming, "Op = op!" In other words, "Hurry and get your hiney in here to buy it because once it's gone, it's gone!"

And credit? If you want any of those items listed in the 57 ads, it is becoming easier. I see already ads in the Netherlands bargaining for the lowest home loan/mortgages, and I see commercials of happy couples who have received a loan to redo their kitchen or add on a new addition to their home. Lenen.nl and De Hypotheker are a few examples.

For more information about episode 5 of Westermans Nieuwe Wereld, click here.

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