The term “Black Friday” originated in Philadelphia. In the early 1960s, Philadelphia police griped about the congested streets, clogged with motorists and pedestrians heading to the Army-Navy football game and looking for deals post-Thanksgiving, calling it “Black Friday.” According to History.com, Philly’s biggest department stores tried to steer away from the negative name and call it “Big Friday,” but the rebranding didn’t stick.
In this Article
When Is Black Friday occurring in 2022?
Why Is Black Friday Important?
Why is it called Black Friday?
The best Black Friday deals are, surprisingly, not on Black Friday. Many retailers, including Amazon, offer sales earlier and earlier, upstaging Black Friday itself. The competition has gotten so fierce that stores have innovated new ways to get your dollar, sometimes starting much earlier in the year.
Black Friday is an informal name used to describe the day after Thanksgiving. It’s often the busiest shopping day of the year because it kicks off the holiday season. This day can be crucial for the economy, especially for certain retailers.
Black Friday VS Cyber Monday
The Monday following the weekend after Black Friday is known as “Cyber Monday,” when many people buy gifts online, and it has become a shopping event in itself. It’s typically the biggest online shopping day of the year, and in some years it has surpassed Black Friday in terms of total sales.
Black Friday
- Refers to the day after Thanksgiving
- Focused on sales in brick-and-mortar stores and online
- Busiest holiday shopping day of the year in total shoppers
Cyber Monday
- Refers to the Monday following Thanksgiving
- Focused on online sales
- Shoppers spend more money than they do on Black Friday
While Cyber Monday may be known for its online shopping, Black Friday has its fair share of digital purchases as well. About 88 million shoppers reported ordering online during Black Friday in 2021. In 2020, more than 100 million shopped online on Black Friday, up from 93.2 million people in 2019
Is Black Friday considered a holiday?
Black Friday is not considered an official holiday. Some companies offer the day off after Thanksgiving, but it is not a federally recognized holiday. For obvious reasons, people working in retail sector don’t get a day off on Black Friday.