So I received the obligatory email messages from retailers in the few days leading up to “Black Friday” (which, no matter what your local news outfit tells you, is not the biggest shopping day of the year) and it amazes me that top tier retailers like Apple, Home Depot, and Nordstrom used the opportunity to merely stick a billboard in front of me. Why not offer email subscribers deals or offers not available to the general public? Like, how about giving me a measly extra 10% off if I bring in my email (or even 5%)? Or a free-while-they-last t-shirt or something? Seems like a missed opportunity to me.