The History of “Black Friday”
The History Behind the Shopping Frenzy
As soon as the turkey carving ends and pumpkin pie consumption finishes each year, something changes in the atmosphere. The thankfulness of Thanksgiving disappears. This happens as shoppers enter the competitive search for bargains. Black Friday has become America’s unofficial holiday for shopping. It starts the Christmas season while creating long queues and competitive shopping at midnight store openings.
What led to the establishment of the post-Thanksgiving bargain shopping tradition? The origin story of Black Friday stands as a complex and unexpected tale much like other cultural phenomena.
“Black Friday”: From Chaos to Commerce
The origin of the term Black Friday came neither from shopping malls nor marketing boardrooms. The original meaning of “Black Friday” had no connection to the retail industry. Back in 1869, it referred to a financial crisis. This occured when two Wall Street financiers caused a gold market crash through their greed, which led to widespread economic panic.
The term resurfaced in Philadelphia during the 1950s to describe the day following Thanksgiving. City police officers dreaded Friday because masses of people overwhelmed the streets with their presence. The annual Army-Navy football game caused shoppers and tourists to flood downtown Philadelphia, creating massive traffic problems and widespread disorder. Police officers in Philadelphia referred to this chaotic day as Black Friday. It represented their frustration with the extended work hours needed to handle the disorder.
Retailers Rebrand the Day
The negative implications of Black Friday made retailers unhappy. So, by the 1980s, they began spinning a more cheerful explanation. On Black Friday, stores transitioned from operating in deficit to achieving their yearly profit goals.
The positive rebranding of Black Friday was embraced by consumers. This led to its transformation into today’s major shopping event. Retailers began opening their doors at earlier times each year to offer customers limited-time doorbuster deals. This included substantial discounts for starting the holiday shopping season. The early 2000s saw retail stores open their doors at 5 a.m., followed by the introduction of midnight store openings. Then controversially, stores began opening on Thanksgiving Day itself.
The Creation of Cyber Monday
In recent years, the shopping event Black Friday has expanded beyond physical malls into digital online platforms. The emergence of online retail giants such as Amazon has provided shoppers with convenience. They can obtain similar deals online without standing in queues or moving from their living room. This shift gave birth to another retail phenomenon. The online shopping event Cyber Monday started in 2005 to allow online retailers to benefit from Black Friday shopping trends.
Black Friday along with Cyber Monday now creates an extended shopping frenzy that offers everything from electronics to winter apparel at unbeatable prices.
Excitement and Controversy
Black Friday functions as both a significant cultural occurrence and an extensive retail event in the current era. A pre-dawn ritual for some involves having coffee at their side while they search for top deals. It represents excessive consumer culture and holiday season commercialization to those people. In addition, observers criticize the Thanksgiving Day store openings because they burden employees and detract from family gatherings and expressions of thankfulness.
Retailers began changing their strategies. Some retailers choose to stay closed on Thanksgiving Day. Meanwhile, others expand Black Friday deals throughout multiple days or weeks to decrease crowds. They cater to customers who prefer a less hectic shopping experience.
So, What Does Black Friday Mean Today?
Black Friday has become a mix of everything: tradition, strategy, spectacle, and savings. This day marks the beginning of the holiday shopping season as people either stand in line at dawn or stay home in their pajamas to find discounted gifts and treats. Black Friday started as police slang and Wall Street panic then evolved into an event that showcases our desire for bargains and our tendency to make any occasion into a nationwide spectacle.
Prepare your shopping list and ensure your devices are fully charged to win at shopping.