What is Black Friday?
“Black Friday” is a day, originated in the North American country Philadelphia. It is a promotional event that welcomes the Christmas shopping season with incredible discounts.
In the United States, this event takes place on the last Friday in November. But in Colombia, it is celebrated twice a year, one in May and the other in November.
Why is it called Black Friday?
It is believed that the sales on that Friday were so few that many stores began to make heavy sales so that it is not a “black day”.
Over time, the term was taken as a reference to call the chaos produced by the discounts of stores and warehouses on the last Friday of November, with the merchandise that had not been sold.
A linguist once told the BBC that the word ‘black’ was used for a long time to describe various calamities.
According to this medium, the first time the expression “Black Friday” was used in the United States was in 1869, when two financiers tried to take over the gold market on the New York Stock Exchange.
During this day, physical stores and their websites have the best deals of the year with special promotions that many people even take advantage of to buy Christmas gifts.
The date got its current reputation and importance in the 2000s when it spread to other countries.
This shopping phenomenon also caused some stores to create and implement “Gray Thursday” or open at midnight on Friday, and Cyber Monday, which has sales only online, occurs the Monday after Black Friday.
Birth of Black Friday
This date has its origin in Philadelphia, the United States, which is called the day after Thanksgiving as Black Friday because of the traffic of people and cars that was formed. Several years later, it became popular in other states, and then it became internationalized and managed to get several countries to adapt it to their cultures.
Where does the name Black Friday come from?
Among the best-known theories about the origin of the word Black Friday are:
- It was a way that traffic cops in Philadelphia described the high flow of vehicles and people on the streets the day after Thanksgiving.
- It refers to the term black used in merchant accounts, where the numbers went from red to black in surplus (it relates to the moment when income exceeds expenses).
- The first time the term was used was on a Friday in September 1868, two financiers tried to take over the gold market on the New York Stock Exchange, and in the attempt of the Government to intervene, a crisis occurred. Prices fell, causing many investors to fail.
When is Black Friday?
Here comes a question when is black Friday? This year 2021, Black Friday falls on Friday, November 26.
Businesses are already immersed in this consumer campaign for this important day in various sectors. Discounts can be enjoyed both in physical establishments and online platforms. The tradition of extending this day of sales is increasingly widespread, taking advantage of the days before and after, and even the entire week, to keep their products on sale. Each store handles Black Friday as best suits its financial interests, but all agree to save this particular Friday for their promotions.
Platforms such as Amazon have not yet posted the promotions that will be available on their website during this day. Still, it is expected that they will advance their offers to the official day of Black Friday, which it will undoubtedly maintain, as in previous years, are the flash offers throughout the week before the celebration, with discounts of up to 60% off.
It should also be noted that many companies take the opportunity to overlap Black Friday with the celebration of Cyber Monday, which takes place on the Monday just after the Thanksgiving celebration. That Monday is dedicated exclusively to online shopping, so online commerce will link Black Friday’s discounts with those of Cyber Monday.
When does it finish?
The initial initiative was for this day to be celebrated only on the last Friday in November. Still, over time, the idea has changed, and most businesses extend their offers throughout the weekend. This year, 2021 ‘Black Friday Sales’ would end on Sunday, November 28, although some companies may vary the dates and end before or after this day.
‘Cyber Monday’
But consumers can rest easy if they do not have time to do their shopping during the last weekend of November since there is also ‘Cyber Monday’. This day is celebrated on the Monday following ‘Black Friday’, in this case on November 29, and is mainly focused on the offers of shops through the internet.
How to get the best deals on Black Friday
If you are looking for something to buy on Black Friday Sales with the highest possible discount, you should be clear about what you are interested in.
Identify the products you want to buy or at least a range of products. For example, if you are looking for a specific mobile, start writing down the prices you see now and in a week. So when Black Friday arrives, you can see buy it if the deal is considerable.
Fun facts about Black Friday
- According to the BBC, in 2001, Black Friday was recognized as the biggest shopping day. Previously, the highest billing day was the Saturday before Christmas.
- Black Friday is no longer a one-day celebration. Merchants made this celebration longer to attract more customers and maximize promotions.
- This day of promotions did not become famous until the ’90s when consumer practices increased considerably.
