Everyone loves a good bargain and so for all terrific shoppers globally, there is a very special day – this year Black Friday around the world will take place on November 29th. It is the perfect time to buy a new phone, clothes, the elliptical trainer you dreamed of, and a lot more. Why? Because prices will be overwhelmingly low!
History of Black Friday
There have been numerous debates in recent years regarding the origins of this event. Some claim that it roots back to the 19th-century slave markets, but those myths have been proved as absolutely groundless. For a fact, the true origins of Black Friday sales did not have many common features with trade at all. Everything started over half a century ago in Philadelphia, PA with … football. This is rather surprising but initially, Black Friday would be called a rather unpleasant situation, having no connection with any sales. In the 1950s in Philadelphia on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, there was a massive event held annually. It was a big Army-Navy football game that gathered lots of viewers including tourists as well as people from all over Pennsylvania. It caused a huge flux of visitors in Philadelphia on the day before that game, later established as the Black Friday date. Streets would be overcrowded which required all city police forces to work during emergency mode. Shops would also be crowded which fostered shoplifting. It was an exhausting day of madness all around and would sometimes be called by locals “Black Friday”.
About 10 years later this name would catch on among Philadelphian merchants. The increased number of people in the city would naturally bring some increase in sales but not to a great extent. So how long has Black Friday been around? In the 1960s retailers tried to get rid of negative connotations of this day, introducing increased discounts with longer working hours of shops and renaming it into “Big Friday”. However, this new name would not be much embraced among locals while sales campaigns on this day in Philadelphia were held. Eventually, by the mid-80s, this event started being held in other cities, and by the 90s this event had reached the nationwide level. Since then it has been a widely anticipated day for all passionate shoppers across America.
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Biggest Sale in the World Ever
Nowadays Black Friday is considered the most massive retail event in North America and globally. But for how long has it been going on across the country? Since the 90s, it has become common for retailers to set huge sales. They had open stores as early as 7 am or even 6 am. Returning to its origin, this day became a massive event with many people and huge traffic. By the mid-2000s many stores would start opening at 5 am or even 4 am. Some years later this record would be beaten by some stores that would begin sales in the late evening on Thanksgiving to avoid huge crowds or conflicts between customers.
Black Friday Statistics
This day of the year is all about numbers. For those who wonder why is Black Friday celebrated, the answer is rather obvious, to gain profits, and get rid of old items or collections before the launch of new ones. But to be precise, this day is about:
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Over 90 million online buyers on that day in 2023, which is considered arguably the highest world record.
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58% is the number of people who plan to do their shopping in the US.
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From $128 to $480 dynamics in average sum planned to be spent by one adult, from 2015 to 2023.
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53.7% of sales were made in the US on one single website – Amazon.
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During the shopping season, Black Friday shoppers primarily invest in electronics (49%) like smartwatches, smartphones, laptops, and televisions, along with beauty products (15%) and clothes and apparel (10%).
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$9.5 billion is a Black Friday total amount of sales in the US in 2023
Black Friday around the World: Which Countries Participate?
Due to globalism processes, many traditions found in the US gradually got embraced in many parts of the world. So if you have wondered, do other countries have Black Friday? - the answer is yes. Although, some have peculiar features different from the US traditions. This trend has become very popular, so such countries are growing constantly. So for the future, we can expect that almost the entire world on this day would indulge in fervent shopping with the best deals.
Black Friday in Other Countries – Where in the World to Shop?
Everyone loves discounts, so an idea to make final year sales at the end of November was perceived positively by retailers and marketers globally. So what countries have Black Friday sales? Actually, currently, there are about 40 of them. It is found in entire North America including the US, Canada, Mexico. Apart from them, many other countries have shown up on list by late 2000s and beginning of the 2010s. Among them are all of the EU states, the UK, Russia, Ukraine, also North European countries. In some of them, sales are not much high but all their slogans are tied to this event.
So, in about 5 years it will be much easier to tell what countries do not participate rather than where is Black Friday celebrated around the globe. Recently India and Pakistan have joined this tradition. Some South American countries have introduced it too, for example, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia and Panama, Costa Rica in Central America. It is also held in Australia and New Zealand, the Middle East, some African countries such as Nigeria, Lebanon, and South Africa.
Frequently Asked Questions
In which state and in which US city did the term “Black Friday” originate first?
Term came from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the 1950s, where on Friday after Thanksgiving whole city would be overcrowded by tourists and people from suburbs who came for an upcoming Army-Navy football game held annually on Saturday. The term initially had a negative connotation of the busiest and most stressful day of the year. Within about 30 years, unpleasant references faded away, which gave an impetus to reinvent Black Friday as a massive sales event in the city.
Approximately how long has Black Friday been going on in the US?
This event can be considered relatively new despite some myths. The first attempts to introduce its modern sense took place in the mid and late 80s. Since then nationwide sales started to catch on gradually and in the following decade this annual event has grown into a massive retail festival we know now.
Is it true that Black Friday is only in America exclusively?
No. Originally, Black Friday took place as an occasional event in some US states. But during the following years, the practice was embraced by other English-speaking countries and moved forward to the rest of the world some time later.
Do other countries have Black Friday?
Yes, it is a global event taking place on the last Friday of November that can extend until Sunday of that week. Sales on Black Friday in Europe are rather common, although the entire retail festival might not be as massive as in the US. Also, online trading platforms targeted at American and European markets based in Asia such as AliExpress, introduce sales, although there is no such custom in China itself.
Why is it called Black Friday sales?
Historically, in 1950s Philadelphia, the Friday after Thanksgiving Day would be called “black” as many football fans visited the city for the Army-Navy game. This term was meant to represent hustle in the city and had a negative meaning. Later on, Philadelphian retailers made attempts to turn this event into something positive, which was the beginning of the sales tradition.
Happy Black Friday Shopping
This year on November 29th shopping will likely take place online and lining up for an exclusive item of your dreams right after Thanksgiving table is not necessary. Disregarding all circumstances, prepare your shopping list and get ready to make the most out of the biggest sale of 2024.
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