Interested In Black Friday? Shopping Traditions: History, Name, And More

When we hear “ Black Saturday”, we know that what is coming up is likely to be a sweet sale. Every year, the day after Thanksgiving and always a Saturday, the day is synonymous with doorbuster sales that kick start the holiday shopping season. Massive sales, which are less than a month away from the winter holidays, are a surefire way for shoppers to spend their money.

Black Friday shoppers are spending their money (or rather, using their phones to do it) almost exclusively with their smartphones. According to Salesforce in 2019, digital and mobile sales increased 17 percent, reaching $4.1 billion. You don’t have to get up at 5 AM to find a deal when you can just swipe on your smartphone. Amazon was the brand that won the most online visitors, with Walmart closely behind. In recent years, the “most talked about brands” were Apple, Nintendo, and PlayStation. retail dive reports, and discounts averaged between 37 to 47 percent.

Is there more to Black Friday’s history? Is it more than consumerism, Smart TVs, and Apple AirPods at 20% off? Although Black Friday is associated with major box stores such as Walmart, Best Buy and Kohl’s, there have been myths about its origins for many years. 

What Is Black Friday?

Every year, Black Friday falls on the day following Thanksgiving. Because Thanksgiving is traditionally observed on the fourth Thursday of November the day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday falls on a Friday.

Parade is told by Kristin McGrath (editor and shopping expert at BlackFriday.com), that Black Friday was created when retailers realized they could attract large crowds by discounting prices. Some retailers sell their products on Thanksgiving morning, while others email specials to customers days or even weeks in advance.

Also Read: Expectations for GoPro Black Friday Deals in 2022

When Does Black Friday Start?

Although technically Black Friday is on Friday, November 25, sales actually start earlier than that. Black Friday sales are promoted by some stores or their websites as early as midnight on Thanksgiving Day, or even a week before. ).

Origin Of Black Friday

Myths surround the history of Black Friday. Is Black Friday really about shopping, or is it a cover for more sinister motives? The History Channel discredits the rumor that Black Friday was once associated with slavery.

History Channel claims that a myth that claimed that slaves could be purchased at a discounted price by Southern plantation owners in the 1800s has been circulating since recent years. Although some have called for boycotting Black Friday, this version of Black Friday’s history is not true.

Another myth about Black Friday is that retailers would lose their entire year, also known as “in red.” Retailers would then experience a boost the day after Thanksgiving thanks to holiday shoppers who are looking for big discounts gift. This would propel them “back into profit.”

“While it is true that retail stores used to report losses in red and profits black when they did their accounting, this version of Black Friday’s origins is the officially sanctioned, but inaccurate, story behind the tradition.”

What Is The True Story Behind Black Friday’s Tradition?

This has to do with shoppers and retailers, and maybe even Pennsylvania. It’s true. Black Friday was first started in Philadelphia, PA in the 1950s when shoppers from the suburbs would come to the city before the Army-Navy football match every Saturday. The out-of-towners would flood the city, and local police would have to work long shifts in order to make up for it. The History Channel states that this would be a day when police are not allowed to leave.

McGrath explains that “Black Friday” was first coined in Philadelphia. McGrath explains that in the 1960s, Philadelphia police complained about congested streets. It also refers to the financial crisis of 1869, which was triggered by gold-stamping investors who attempted but failed to control the stock market.

Although the day of chaos was officially called “Black Friday” in 1961, retailers and businessmen fought to change it to “Big Friday”. The day was first known in the United States as Black Friday in the late ’80s.

The “holiday”, also known as Black Friday, was widely known by retailers. They devised a strategy to change the day’s perception. Retailers changed how Black Friday was perceived by implementing the narratives “In the Red” and “Back into the Black.” This has made it the biggest shopping day with a lot of great deals that we know.

The popularity of Black Friday has sparked “spinoff shopping days” Small Biz Saturday, and Cyber Monday.

It Is called Black Friday.

In the 1950s, Philadelphia was home to Black Friday. In the days leading up to the Saturday Army-Navy football match, many suburbanites would travel into Philadelphia and crowd the city. It was known as Black Friday because all the city’s officers were on duty to manage the large crowds.

Black Friday in the UK

Black Friday was initially a US-centric sale designed to capitalise on the Christmas needs of consumers who are full and happy from the Thanksgiving holidays. Brits don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, so for the UK, it’s more focused on getting as many deals as possible before the Christmas period begins.

Bricks-and-mortar stores will tempt you into visiting shops physically, and you’ll easily find some decent offers from your high street favourites. But for most of us, online shopping is the preferred route, mainly because we don’t like interacting with people if we can help it. For that purpose, UK deliveries during Black Friday are usually supercharged to make sure you get what you pay for promptly. Some retailers will offer special next-day delivery deals if you spend a certain amount in your basket or will run special offers to get your items to you faster.

However, it’s worth mentioning the announcement that Royal Mail will be staging two 48-hour strikes around the time of the Black Friday sale, specifically on November 24th, 25th, 30th and December 1st. We don’t know how that will impact everyone’s deliveries, but it’s safe to say you should expect to wait for some of your purchases. There’s chatter that strikes could continue throughout the Christmas period, so if you’re doing your Christmas shopping, make sure you leave plenty of time for delays.