Black Friday History – Where does the bargain day come from

While Black Friday was completely unknown in Germany around 10 years ago, the popularity of the major shopping event has increased above average in the last few years. Despite all the joy about the numerous top deals, an interesting question still arises: where does the popular bargain day actually come from?

What does Black Friday mean?

Black Friday is English and means "black Friday". It is an unofficial sales day that originally comes from the USA. Traditionally, Black Friday is the first Friday after the American Thanksgiving holiday .

Since Thanksgiving always falls on the fourth Thursday in November, the following Friday is a bridge day. Therefore, the Friday after Thanksgiving is traditionally used as a shopping day to get all your Christmas shopping done in time.

Where does the name “Black Friday” come from?

There are various theories about the origin of the term "Black Friday". None of the following theories is proven to be the origin of Black Friday, but each of them sounds plausible.

What is certain, however, is that Black Friday originated in the USA and has now become an integral part of more and more countries around the world. The name "Black Friday" has developed from the USA into a catchphrase around the world.

crowds

One theory is that the addition of "Black" refers to the crowds of people who moved from shop to shop on this long weekend. The many people were said to blur into a single black mass.

There may also be a reference to the so-called “Black Thursday”, the day of the stock market crash on October 24, 1929. On this day and the following day, countless people tried to withdraw their money from the bank and bring it to safety.

Making a profit

According to another theory, retailers will be profitable on this day. On Black Friday, retailers will make enough sales for the whole year. They will be able to get out of their previous negative balance and will only be in the black with the sales from Black Friday.

Black Hands

A similar theory follows on from this idea: the sellers take in so much money on Black Friday that by the end of the day their hands are already black from counting the money.

Documented mention

The first time Black Friday was actually mentioned in writing in the USA was probably in 1966 in Philadelphia. According to reports , the Philadelphia police gave the Friday after Thanksgiving the name "Black Friday" in January 1966. The term was an allusion to the traffic jams and crowded sidewalks caused by the rush of shoppers.

Black Friday in the USA

Black Friday has been around in the USA for over 60 years. Since then, the intensity and enthusiasm of people in the USA has increased rather than decreased. Every American tries to take advantage of the big discounts and get a real bargain. The hunt for bargains sometimes takes on dimensions that are difficult for outsiders to understand.

Customers waiting outside the shops hours before they can enter and tumultuous scenes are not uncommon on Black Friday. In some shopping centers, the police may even be called out.

Of course, retailers try to take advantage of the huge rush. In some cities, the big stores open as early as midnight and try to lure bargain hunters into their stores.

Black Friday in Germany

In Germany, the history of Black Friday is relatively short. Black Friday was first advertised here in 2006. That year, Apple advertised discounts on its products for the first time on the Friday after Thanksgiving. However, the term "Black Friday" was not really used at that time. It was only in the following years that "Black Friday" became more popular and used as a term.

In 2013, over 500 retailers advertised various Black Friday offers. Since the discounts were almost always very attractive, word of Black Friday quickly spread in Germany. Awareness increased and according to the latest surveys, 95 percent of Germans know about Black Friday and its significance.

What day is Black Friday this year?

This year, Black Friday falls on November 26, 2021. This day is a Friday and therefore it can be assumed that not only online retailers will be prepared for this day. Local retailers will also be advertising numerous discounts and reduced prices on November 26, 2021.

extension of Black Friday

In recent years, the period of Black Friday offers has been extended further and further. Online retailers in particular are increasingly talking not only about the classic Black Friday, but also about the Black Weekend, Black Friday Deal, Black Week or Black Friday Deals. Both consumers and retailers benefit from this type of extended Black Friday.

Retailers can promote more products over several days and increase their sales, while consumers benefit from even more discounts and bargains. The customers' chance of finding an interesting deal increases.

Cyber ​​Monday

In addition to the Black Weekend and many other "Black" promotions, Cyber ​​Monday should not go unmentioned in this context. Cyber ​​Monday is a kind of supplement to Black Friday.

It is another shopping day from the USA, which always falls on the Monday after American Thanksgiving and also marks the start of the Christmas sales in the USA. This day is also becoming increasingly popular in Germany.

What products are sold?

On Black Friday and all other promotional days around this period, all kinds of products are sold. Products from electronics retailers or general items from the consumer electronics category are of course very popular with customers. Games consoles, laptops, televisions and toys are at the top of the shopping list.

But beauty items such as perfumes, make-up, cosmetics and drugstore items or fashion and accessories are also in great demand among bargain hunters. We at Horando also offer many luxury watches at lower prices. Here you can find the Horando Black Friday deals . As you can see, every deal hunter should find something on this day.

The Future of Black Friday

It will be interesting to see how Black Friday develops in Germany and how retailers will promote this day in the future. After all, Black Friday, with its numerous special offers, has now achieved a level of popularity that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.

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