Do you know why it’s called Black Friday?
It has come to mean the biggest shopping day of the year and a boon for retailers as it attracts massive shoppers and produces exceptional profits. Black Friday originated in Philadelphia in the early 1960s, although the term was initially used by Philadelphia police officers to describe the disruption caused by heavy pedestrian and vehicular traffic in their downtown business district on (Friday) the day after Thanksgiving; It was not long before its use became widespread. But why is it called Black Friday?
By 1975, Black Friday had spread to many other places and grew to focus its application more on the big sales that opened the holiday shopping season. The term was not intended to be affectionate, but rather an annoying day that drained the Police Department, bus drivers, and merchants alike. However, both the term and the tradition became so ingrained in shopper culture that retailers began to adapt to earlier and earlier store openings.
I remember when I was a mom with two young children, I made plans for this “fantastic shopping” day, a necessity in our home. Not only was I able to do most of my Christmas shopping, but I was also able to plan my strategic purchases and stock up on the basics.
I don’t remember it being called Black Friday at the time, but I do remember the tradition at home: the early morning excursion downtown. One year I planted my dad (then retired) in a comfortable chair at the department store as he battled through the crowd, scooped up my finds, and deposited them on his lap to keep them safe. I have very good memories of those days.
What is the future of Black Friday?
Today, decades later, Black Friday is still going strong. This year it falls on November 29, in 2014 on November 28 and for 2015 the celebration of purchases will arrive on November 27. This annual observation is also practiced in Canada and the appeal of Black Friday sales in recent years has even been exported to countries outside of North America. And with the rise of online selling (helping you avoid the crowds, not to mention the danger sometimes attended by increasingly aggressive shoppers) countries like the UK and even Brazil, as well as some retail giants in Online, they have seen their vacation income double compared to years past. The competition for the year-end dollar is of great importance, as many retailers report that revenue from Black Friday activity will often put their balance sheets “in the black” and make up for underperforming quarters. [see: “Cyber shopping on Thanksgiving Day a growing tradition.” Joan Verndon, Staff Writer 11/25/09 [northjersey.com]]
I believe that as long as there are shopping and bargains to look for, concentrated promotional days like Black Friday (and even Black Thursday and Saturday) will continue to be part of our event calendar. [Li, Shan (November 21, 2011). Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 22, 2011]
The search for more customers and higher sales has led many competitors to start their Black Friday sales early by opening Thursday night to jump in the sales season (even big name retailers). Recently, in November 2012, the media reported “How ‘Black Friday’ turned into ‘Gray Thursday'” [Sreenivasan, Hari (11/22/12) PBS Retrieved 11/23/12]
So from various perspectives, you can see why it is called Black Friday and may in the future welcome a brother, Black Thursday!
Until next time God willing.
Karen
© 2013 Karen Hodge