It’s coming soon!
Black Friday is on the 29th of November.
We hear about it, talk about it, read about it but have you ever wondered where it came from? Why is this tremendously busy shopping day, with huge discounts offered, so dramatically named?!
Originating in the US, Black Friday is now a global concept. It always falls on the day following Thanksgiving and it’s one of the busiest shopping days of the year in the US. No longer a single day, it extends over the weekend and into the following week.
Let’s start with a few fun facts:
- Black Friday has spread to over 15 countries in the world.
- Asda held the first instore event in the UK in 2013. It was SO busy and frantic that fights broke out and some were hospitalised with broken bones!
- It’s predominantly an online event but instore purchases have risen.
- 3 in 5 UK adults plan to spend over Black Friday weekend (an increase from previous years).
- The average person plans to spend £122 on Black Friday, up from 2023 (finder uk).
- 84% of consumers stated they’d had a good experience so were likely to shop again with a retailer. (citcom).
- Most orders are placed between 8pm and 10pm.
- Men tend to spend more than women.
So, Black Friday’s origins:
Not as straightforward as one would think.
- Its true origin lies in ‘black’ meaning disaster or misfortune, not as the opposite to ‘being in the red’ financially as many like to believe (which is understandable as we’re all grabbing bargains and feeling pleased with ourselves).
- Back in 1869, on Friday September 24th, two Wall Street bankers tried to corner the gold market, hoping to make their fortunes but it was disastrous, resulting in panic and the collapse of the gold market. It was named Black Friday.
- Fast forward to the 1950s, in Philadelphia the Friday after Thanksgiving was always chaotic and often troublesome due to tourists and shoppers flocking to the city. The police named it Black Friday. Shopkeepers disliked the negative connotations at first but soon started to use it positively in relation to the massive sales that took place. And so the term was coined! By the 1980’s it had spread across the country.
- 2010 saw Black Friday arrive in the UK, thanks to Amazon (whose website crashed due to the volume of buyers!).
Black Friday is now firmly rooted in our culture and it continues to grow in popularity. It marks the start of the festive shopping season and we eagerly await it. Almost all brands and retailers get involved and unbelievable bargains can be had but here’s a few tips on getting the best out of Black Friday:
- Make a shopping list – it’s not about buying a lot of stuff but about saving on those things you really do want.
- Research the products you want and their price history. There’s no point going for a ‘good bargain’ only to find the product’s rubbish.
- Set up an online account in advance to save you time later.
- Save your desired products onto wish lists, in advance.
- Find out if retailers will match prices.
To get you in the mood, we’ve some amazing deals here to be had.
Check out our sale hampers to view our Black Friday offers!