Black Friday

Overview

The day after Thanksgiving, many retailers offer steep discounts for the American tradition of “Black Friday.” Though it’s not an official holiday, it’s still popular: US consumer spending is significantly higher on Black Friday than on any other day of the year.

In the 1950s and ’60s, the Philadelphia police used the term “Black Friday” to describe the chaos that hit the city post-Thanksgiving for the Army-Navy football game (examples include increased traffic, crowds, and shoplifting). Some Philadelphia merchants tried calling the day “Big Friday” to remove its negative associations, but it didn’t stick.

Another two decades would pass before the retailers of the 1980s spun “Black Friday” into a positive, saying that the holiday sales would help their earnings go from in the “red” (losing money) to “black” (profiting).

On Black Friday 2024, US shoppers spent a record $10.8B on e-commerce purchases alone. In recent years, consumers have increasingly trended toward holiday shopping online rather than braving Black Friday’s famous in-person crowds.

1440 Findings

Hours of research by our editors, distilled into minutes of clarity.

Explore Business & Finance

The United States is home to more than 33 million businesses, the vast majority of which are small businesses, with millions being created (and others closing shop) every year. These businesses often rely on loans, provide the goods and services that keep the economy flowing, and sometimes even grow large enough to enter public markets or provide private investment opportunities. Explore key topics central to business and finance, from the role of the Federal Reserve to how initial public offerings work, how millions of American students finance higher education, and more.

View All Business & Finance

Black Friday

Overview

1440 Findings

Explore Business & Finance

Featured Topics