The origin of Black Friday in the United States

Nov. 26, 2019 por Isolda Barrera

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The beginning of this particular start for the holiday season has become a day that helps retailers attract shoppers to their stores, offering what they claim to be the best sales of the year, and preparing many for their Christmas shopping. It is almost a tradition in the United States, but despite the name given to the day, it has nothing to do with the colors on the buyer's bank account balance.

It all began in Philadelphia in the 1950s. Dozens of shoppers would arrive in the city during the days after Thanksgiving, all this was due to that the city promoted great offers and decorations, before the football match between the Army and the Navy, which took place on Saturday. Traffic police were required to work 12-hour shifts, nobody could leave and people flooded sidewalks, parking lots and streets. This would give way to the name as police who had to work during that days would be the ones to use the term “Black Friday”.

City benders would also begin to use the term to describe the long lines and shopping chaos in their stores. "It became this comic reference to downtown Philadelphia after Thanksgiving." Over time, retailers learned to adopt the name and even extended the day shopping event.

In 1961, the idea of changing the name of the day to Great Friday or Big Friday was proposed so that one of the biggest days in shopping did not have such an “ominous” name. But it was not needed as many had already gotten used to the name and hearing Black Friday to many was a sign of good offers and discounts.

By 2003 things had completely changed and retailers increased store opening hours. In that year big name stores like Kmart, Walmart and Sears offered discounts before dawn starting at 5 a.m. or 6 a.m.  And that same year, that Black Friday became the most profitable shopping day of the year, according to data from the International Council of Shopping Centers. Before 2003, the most profitable shopping days in the US were those at the end of December after the Christmas season was over and anything related to the holiday would be on discount or with offers.

In 2011, Walmart extended the business day again when it opened its stores at 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving night and remained open until Black Friday.

With the popularity of the internet, another day of shopping was born in 2005: Cyber Monday. It was a marketing term for the National Retail Federation to reflect the shopping craziness felt by physical stores on Black Friday. Cyber Monday has exploded in fame since then.

Buyers said deals and discounts are the most important factor in choosing the store, followed by free shipping and a convenient location.

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