Black Friday: Full History, Meaning, and Evolution of the Biggest Shopping Day

Black Friday: The Full History, Meaning, and Evolution of the Biggest Shopping Day in the World

Every year, millions of shoppers around the world wait impatiently for one special day—Black Friday. What started as a local U.S. shopping event transformed into a global retail phenomenon that influences buying behavior, business strategy, marketing, and even the timing of major product launches.

In 2025 and heading into 2026, Black Friday remains the single biggest shopping day in the world, even with the rise of online marketplaces, year-long deals, and competing events like Cyber Monday and Amazon Prime Day.

But how did it start? Why is it called “Black Friday”? And how did a simple shopping day turn into a global event so powerful that brands all over the world plan their entire year around it?

This is the complete guide to Black Friday, its history, how it evolved, and what it means for shoppers today.

What Is Black Friday? Understanding the Meaning Behind the Name

Black Friday refers to the day after Thanksgiving in the United States. It is traditionally the start of the holiday shopping season, with retailers offering massive discounts, doorbuster deals, and limited-time promotions.

Today, “Black Friday” is used globally to represent:

The biggest discount day of the year
A period of intense competition between retailers
The kickoff of holiday sales
A major online shopping event

But originally, the term had nothing to do with shopping.

The Origins of Black Friday — The Real Story Behind the Name

The history of Black Friday is surprisingly complex, and multiple theories exist.

The earliest known meaning of Black Friday

Before the term applied to shopping, “Black Friday” was used in the 1800s to describe financial crises, most notably:

The 1869 stock market crash, caused by gold speculators Jay Gould and James Fisk
This event led to massive market failure—earning the day the gloomy name “Black Friday”

So originally, the term had nothing to do with consumerism.

The Philadelphia theory — the most widely accepted version

The Philadelphia Police Department coined the term in the 1950s.

Every year, the day after Thanksgiving brought:

Massive traffic jams
Overcrowded streets
Increased shoplifting
Required extra police overtime

Philadelphia police officers dreaded the day so much that they sarcastically called it:

“Black Friday” the worst working day of the year.”

How it became a retail term

During the 1960s and 70s, local retailers began using “Black Friday” in newspapers to refer to:

The rush of shoppers
Heavy store traffic
Early holiday sales

By the 1980s, retailers nationwide embraced the name and transformed it into a positive marketing term.

How Black Friday Became a Shopping Phenomenon

Retail adoption in the 1980s

In the early 1980s, major retail chains realized they could utilize “Black Friday” to promote:

Special discounts
Limited quantities
Loss-leader deals (products sold below cost)

That’s when Black Friday officially became America’s biggest shopping day.

The “profits turn black” theory

Many people today believe Black Friday got its name because retailers switch from:

Red (losses) → to Black (profits)

While this is not historically accurate, retailers adopted this narrative as it made the event feel positive and business-friendly.

The early 2000s boom

With the rise of:

Walmart
Best Buy
Target
Macy’s
Sears

Black Friday expanded with:

Midnight openings
4 AM launches
Long lines around buildings
Doorbuster chaos
Viral product battles (TVs, gaming consoles, laptops)

This era cemented Black Friday as a central American shopping tradition.

The Shift to Online Shopping — Black Friday Goes Digital

Black Friday evolved dramatically with the rise of online shopping.

Amazon’s influence

In the 2010s, Amazon revolutionized the event by:

Offering discounts earlier than competitors
Extending deals for multiple days
Creating “flash sales”
Offering personalized recommendations

Amazon turned Black Friday from a one-day event into a digital shopping experience lasting weeks.

Record-breaking online sales

By 2022–2024, online Black Friday revenue surpassed in-store shopping for the first time.

People started preferring:

Safer
Faster
More convenient

online purchasing.

The rise of mobile shopping

More than 70% of Black Friday purchases in 2025 are projected to come from mobile phones.

Cyber Monday — The Expansion of the Shopping Weekend

Cyber Monday was introduced in 2005 to encourage people to shop online after returning to work on Monday.

Feature	Black Friday	Cyber Monday
Focus	In-store, then online	Online only
Discounts	Electronics, TVs, appliances	Gadgets, accessories, smart devices
Shopping style	Planned big purchases	Fast, impulsive online buys

Black Friday Goes Global — The Worldwide Expansion

Black Friday expanded far beyond the U.S. Starting from 2015, regions such as:

Europe
Middle East
Asia
Latin America
Africa

began adopting the event.

Example growth:

The UAE and KSA now call it White Friday
India calls it the Great Online Sale
Europe fully embraced traditional “Black Friday” marketing
South America experiences massive online traffic surges

By 2026, Black Friday becomes the most recognized retail event globally.

The Dark Side of Black Friday

Black Friday isn’t only about deals. It has a darker side.

Consumerism & impulse buying

Millions of people buy products they don’t actually need.

Violence, stampedes, and chaos

Throughout the 2000s, viral videos showed:

Fights
Injuries
Shoppers breaking down store doors

This damaged the event’s reputation.

Environmental impact

Excessive consumption leads to:

More electronic waste
More plastic packaging
Higher carbon footprint

This pushed brands to adopt more sustainable practices.

How Black Friday Changed After COVID-19

The pandemic triggered the biggest transformation in Black Friday history.

Why deals now last for weeks

To avoid crowding, brands extended deals across:

Early November
Thanksgiving week
Black Friday weekend
Cyber Monday week
“Cyber Week”

Shift to online-first strategy

Brands invest heavily in:

E-commerce
Mobile apps
Personalized recommendations

Smarter shoppers

Consumers now:

Compare prices
Use price trackers
Wait for the best timing
Avoid scams

What to Expect for Black Friday 2025–2026

Here’s how Black Friday is evolving:

AI-assisted shopping

AI tools provide:

Best time to buy alerts
Personalized deal recommendations
Automated price comparisons

Early Access Deals

Brands offer early access to:

Loyalty members
App users
Email subscribers

Subscription-based discounts

Amazon Prime, Walmart+, and others drive exclusive Black Friday offers.

Increase in Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL)

make it easier for customers to buy expensive items.

Tips for Shoppers — How to Get the Best Black Friday Deals

Use price comparison tools

Popular tools:

Honey
CamelCamelCamel
Keepa
Google Shopping

Avoid fake discounts

Retailers sometimes inflate prices before announcing a sale.
Use trackers to confirm real discounts.

Shop early

The best deals often sell out within minutes.

Check return policies

Some stores limit Black Friday returns—always double-check.

Set a budget

Overspending is extremely common during Black Friday.

Why Black Friday Will Always Evolve

Black Friday has evolved from:

A term used by police
To a retail strategy
To a global e-commerce event
To one of the biggest economic moments of the year

In 2025 and 2026, Black Friday continues to grow—powered by online shopping, global participation, and AI-driven retail.

And while the deals get smarter, so do shoppers.

Black Friday is not just a shopping day.
It’s a cultural and economic event that keeps shaping how the world buys, sells, and celebrates the holiday season.