Black Friday
21 Nov
Black Friday (shopping)
Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving in the United States, where it is the beginning of the traditional Christmas
shopping season. Since Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday in November in the United States, Black Friday may be as
early as the 23rd and as late as the 29th of November.
Black Friday is not an official holiday, but many employees take the day off, which increases the number of potential
shoppers. Retailers often decorate for the Christmas season weeks beforehand. Many retailers open very early (typically 5 am
or even earlier) and offer doorbuster deals and loss leaders to draw people to their stores. Although Black Friday, as the
first shopping day after Thanksgiving, has served as the unofficial beginning of the Christmas season at least since the
start of the modern Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1924, the term “Black Friday” has been traced back only to the 1960s.
The term “Black Friday” originated in Philadelphia in reference to the heavy traffic on that day. More recently, merchants
and the media have used it instead to refer to the beginning of the period in which retailers are in the black (i.e., turning
a profit).
The news media frequently refer to Black Friday as the busiest retail shopping day of the year, but this is not always
accurate. While it has been one of the busiest days in terms of customer traffic,[1][2] in terms of actual sales volume, from
1993 through 2001 Black Friday was usually the fifth to tenth busiest day.[3] In 2002 and 2004, however, Black Friday ranked
second place. The busiest retail shopping day of the year in the United States (in terms of both sales and customer traffic)
usually has been the Saturday before Christmas. In 2003 and 2005, however, Black Friday actually did reach first place.
In many cities it is not uncommon to see shoppers lined up hours before stores with big sales open. Once inside, the stores
shoppers often rush and grab, as many stores have only a few of the big draw items. Electronics and popular toys are often
the most sought-after items and may be sharply discounted. Because of the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds, many choose to stay
home and avoid the hectic shopping experience. The local media often will cover the event, mentioning how early the shoppers
began lining up at various stores and providing video of the shoppers standing in line and later leaving with their purchased
items. Traditionally Black Friday sales were intended for those shopping for Christmas gifts. For some particularly popular
items, some people shop at these sales in order to get deep discounts on items they can then resell, typically online.
Black Friday
Observed by United States
Date Friday after Thanksgiving
2008 date November 28
2009 date November 27
Celebrations Shopping
Related to Thanksgiving and Christmas
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