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What is Black Friday and why is it named Black Friday?

When Black Friday is launched a name is used for two unrelated occasions. It is now most popularly used in the US to refer to the day after Thanksgiving, which is often considered the first day of the holiday shopping season and is known for featuring discounts from retailers.

Is always the Friday after Thanksgiving, which is always the fourth Thursday in November. In 2021, Black Friday is November 26. In 2022, Black Friday is November 25.
The name Black Friday is also used to refer to September 24, 1869, the date of a financial panic in the US sparked by gold speculators.

Many people believe the term finds its roots in the sense of black meaning “showing a profit; not showing any losses,” this isn’t actually the case. Historically, black has been associated with days of economic stress as opposed to days of booming commercial success. The first Black Friday occurred in 1869 after financier Jay Gould and railway businessman James Fisk attempted to corner the gold market, which ultimately resulted in financial panic and the collapse of the market. A little over 60 years later, on October 29, 1929, another stock market crash referred to as Black Tuesday marked the onset of the Great Depression.

5 Important Elements for a Black Friday sale

It can increase revenue, spark new interest in your business and products, and even bring back previous customers to grab new products or services that you are offering.

A- Sale Banner: The moment a potential customer lands on your home page, you want to showcase your sale upfront so they cannot miss it! Having a sale banner at the top of your website homepage is a great way to do this — and it makes it easy for the sale to be the first thing your customers see.

B- Pop-ups: Pop-ups are a great way to keep your readers engaged on your website. Did you know you can set up an “exit intent” pop-up, designed to get your website readers to take some sort of action before they click off your site? You can set them up to pop up when your reader scrolls a certain depth on your page, becomes idle or clicks off of a product they are viewing. 

The pop-up can be another reminder of the sale you have going on, an exclusive freebie or download, or maybe a countdown to the ending of your Black Friday sale. The goal of the pop-up is to get your reader to take action before clicking off your website!

C- Sale Pricing: One way to highlight how much customers are saving during your sales is to show the sale price right next to the original price. That way your reader will be able to see their discount immediately and they will be more motivated to add the product to their cart!

Another way to showcase the sale price is to have the discount automatically applied at checkout. If you are doing a promo code, be sure to test out your coupon code ahead of time to ensure it works without issue.

This is also great if you have a cart abandonment plan, where you can email people who put things in their cart to check the sales price but then don’t click “Buy.”

D- Return Policy: Take a look at your refund or return policy to ensure it is updated to your current policies. You can include this on product pages, checkout pages, and even confirmation emails — it’s the best way to avoid tons of emails or questions after someone buys.

This will help you avoid excessive holiday shipping costs if you offer physical products, too!

E- Plan For The End: We know all good things must come to an end. Be sure you make a plan to reverse all of the changes at the end of your sale — some can be automatic (like ending a price decrease) but others will need to be taken down manually.

5 Pros and 5 Cons of Black Friday.

Black Friday Pros:

A- You can actually see what you are buying and measure it or try it on beforehand.

B- The prices might be better.

C- Not everything that’s on sale on Black Friday will be available on Cyber Monday.

D- It’s an outing. You can bring a friend or spouse for fun and advice.

E- You can browse the aisles and find sales for things you may have forgotten you wanted. Also, some stores offer bulk discounts (if you buy a certain amount of items).

Black Friday Cons: 

A- Some of the merchandise is lower-end.

B- Prices may continue to drop as the holiday season approaches.

C- It’s too easy to overspend in the midst of a buying frenzy.

D- It’s crowded, and you’ll likely be battling other people to get the item you want. You’ll also have to wait in lines early in the morning for the stores to open. If you show up later, there’s a good chance the best items will be sold out already.

E- The real bargains may be limited in quantity and sold to early bird shoppers.

What are the dangers of shopping on Black Friday?

Black Friday is typically the largest and most anticipated sale day of the year! How did this tradition start? There are two widely accepted origin tales surrounding Black Friday:

A- In the past, retailers who spent most of the year in debt — aka “in the red” — would often catch up with holiday sales on the Friday following Thanksgiving. Because they finally earned a profit, these sellers would now be “in the black!” Considering that the average holiday shopper plans to spend nearly $1,000 on holiday gifts¹ in 2021, this explanation is totally believable.

B- Picture this: 1950s Philadelphia, the streets mobbed with retail customers on the day after Thanksgiving. Legend has it that local cops nicknamed the day Black Friday because they were always forced to work overtime — a total bummer when you’d rather be home eating leftover turkey!

Regardless of the day’s origins, it wasn’t until the 1980s when clever retailers turned Black Friday into a must-do event. Cyber Monday was popularized by online shops a couple of decades later and it really took off. Adobe even forecasted a record-breaking $207 billion sales day on Cyber Monday 2021!

Before you whip out your card and start charging, here are a few important credit card safety tips to remember:

Consider Using Credit:  You might have the cash already budgeted out in your debit account, but using your credit card instead for holiday purchases could be worthwhile. Why? With a credit card, fraudulent charges are easy to report, and creditors typically have a straightforward process for disputing purchases. While banks and credit unions typically offer protection to debit cardholders that limits liability in the event of fraud, it may take time to recover any lost funds. Check in advance to see if your financial institution has Fraud Protection Alerts enabled — if so, they may contact you to confirm any suspicious charges. (Just make certain that you update your contact information with your financial institution so these alerts can reach you!)

Pro Tip: Purchase a Visa gift card that you plan to use only for Black Friday deals to limit your spending!

Say Bye-Bye to Wi-Fi: Shopping Online? Don’t use public Wi-Fi. It’s less secure than a private, password-protected network. It’s also easier for hackers to get their mittens on your personal information when you shop online using a public network.

Don’t Open It: Before you click on a sale email, make sure it’s from a trusted retailer. If you don’t already have the sender in your contacts list, check the email address against the company’s website address to ensure they match. Delete any Black Friday/Cyber Monday emails from unrecognizable sources.

Check the Security Badge: If you’re taking advantage of Cyber Monday, be cautious when you visit a shopping site you haven’t purchased from in the past or enter your personal information at checkout. Secure websites will typically have https:// in the URL. If not, look for a padlock icon next to the URL. Click on the padlock to see if the website is secure (it should say something like, “Connection is secure” if it’s safe to proceed). You can identify a secure checkout by right-clicking and selecting Properties > Details. SSL should be listed as the security type.

Keep Your Receipts: Store your receipts in a separate, secure place OR have them all emailed/texted to you. This way, you can go back later and check your receipts against your billing statements to make sure all of the purchases made were legit. You may also need your receipt for returns or to dispute an incorrect charge with your credit card issuer.

Pro Tip: Enroll in an Identity Theft Protection plan that includes credit monitoring and fraud support.

Don’t forget to take some basic precautions, too. Bring water and a snack in case you get caught waiting in long lines. Don’t leave personal belongings unattended or stash purchases in the car where would-be thieves can see them. Limit who you give your personal information to. And lastly, consider bringing a friend with you to shopping malls or crowded department stores.If you’re careful, Black Friday can be one of the most productive shopping days of the season. Just keep our safety tips close at hand, only bring the essentials — and then shop till you drop!

What are some tips for avoiding Black Friday shopping pitfalls?

DON’T wear uncomfortable clothes.
Yes, that dress and those heels were adorable during your Thanksgiving get-together, but no one is checking your outfit come Black Friday. Instead, swap out your party attire for cute and comfy leisurewear staples like leggings and comfortable sneakers if you’re braving the stores this year. Be mindful of layers if you plan to try on clothes (if that’s even allowed given COVID-19 regulations), though Black Friday’s not the ideal day to spend time in fitting rooms anyway.

DON’T go without a Black Friday shopping plan.
Before you step foot out the door, make sure you’ve got a game plan. Start by checking out our Black Friday Price Comparison Cheat Sheet to help you figure out what deals you’ve gotta have and what stores you’ll want to hit up. Also, write down the store hours for each retailer that you’re planning to hit up.

Then list out the Black Friday deals with their price under the specific store, noting if it’s available elsewhere in case inventory runs out. Lastly, make a list of non-deal items to keep an eye out for if you plan on getting all of your holiday shopping covered in one fell swoop. Map out the most efficient route and get all your bases covered!

DON’T rely on a coffee shop.
Don’t leave the house without eating breakfast and drinking coffee (if you’re a caffeine addict )! Every other shopper venturing out on Black Friday will likely be visiting a coffee shop, too. All this does is create a long wait to get your energy fix and cuts into your shopping time.

DON’T forget to make a Black Friday spending plan.
Some people like to bring a set amount of cash to keep spending under control. But if you carry too much cash, you might just be more susceptible to thieves…or just losing it! On the other hand, if you don’t bring enough, you could miss out on the Black Friday deals that you really wanted to purchase.

The cash-only method also overlooks store card discounts or credit card cash back, which can really add up! An alternative would be to use a debit card with a set amount of money available and work in store cards and credit cards as you see fit. Stick to your game plan to avoid overspending.

DON’T bring the kids Black Friday shopping with you!
Kids + high-stress environment = well… you do the math.
Plus, they usually don’t care about the sales and will get bored (and tired) going from store to store.
If you can find a sitter or sweet talk your loved ones to watch over the kiddos while you’re cruising the aisles, your sanity will thank you later. Plus, if your kids are like mine, they’d rather stay at home in their cozy jammies anyway!

DON’T be rude.
This should go without saying, but trying to complain to a store associate to get your way will get you nowhere. Most are not working because they love the throngs of excited shoppers ; they’re probably the newer employees who don’t have the seniority to request the day off.
Make their morning (and yours!) better with kindness and a smile.
They might even open another register or check the backroom stock if you’re nice enough!

DON’T buy because of “the deal.”

Retailers can bump up the original price to make savings seem more significant. For big-ticket items, like TVs and computers, do your research to make sure it’s right for you.

The models promoted with huge discounts may appear as top-rated products, but if you check the model numbers they’re not the same. Black Friday offerings are typically watered-down versions and lack some of the features that give high-quality products their value.

DON’T use a cart if you don’t need one!
If larger items aren’t a part of your plan or you just need to scoop up one or two things, consider cruising the aisles without a bulky shopping cart. You’ll be able to slip past others easily and cut down on shopping time and stress. Plus, if you don’t have a cart, you’re less likely to be tempted to throw in random non-sale items or other things that aren’t on the list.

DON’T go Black Friday shopping alone!
Got a friend or family member who’s also looking to hunt down all the best Black Friday sales?
Instead of going it alone, bring ’em with you!
Not only do you get some moral support (Black Friday can be stressful, after all!), but there are also some other practical benefits that come along with having a shopping buddy.

DON’T forget to check the updated Covid-19 regulations.

While it’s too early to be sure of each specific store’s Covid-19 policies during Black Friday, it’s a good idea to stay on top of the CDC updates.
We may see more retailers choose to change their Black Friday hours, update their mask policies, limit their store capacity, or even opt-out of opening altogether, so it’s a great idea to incorporate the CDC updates into your shopping game plan.

What is the discount percentage in Black Friday shopping?

AMAZING Black Friday Statistics

Black Friday 2021 saw 88 million Americans shopping online.

• In-store traffic increased by nearly 19% year over year.
• Black Friday online shopping sales hit $8.9 billion.
• Average savings on Black Friday specials were 24%.
• Average order values increased by 9% in 2021.
• Nearly 43% of Black Friday sales happened through mobile phones.
• Millennials were the biggest spenders.
• About 29% of women intended to shop during Black Friday 2021.
• Amazon accounted for 17.7% of all Black Friday sales.
• The average adult spent $430 during the shopping event.

The doors of malls and stores finally open. They are flooded with shoppers. The insanity and chaos are overwhelming.
Nearly 155 million Americans shopped during Black Friday 2021.
In 2021, 88 million buyers made a purchase online on Black Friday.

66.5 million Americans shopped in-store during Black Friday 2021.
American consumers spent $8.9 billion online during Black Friday 2021.
Black Friday shoppers spend $430 on average.
Black Friday sales 2021 were 23% higher than on Cyber Monday.
Retailers offering a pickup option grew their revenue by 50% more than retailers who did not.
Amazon accounted for 17.7% of Black Friday sales.
Over half of the online shoppers were first-time buyers.
Over 40% of Consumer Electronics were out-of-stock.
Black Friday 2021 site traffic decreased by 5% YoY.
Almost 60% of Black Friday 2021 purchases were impulse buys.
Shoppers viewed 5.28 products, on average.
Average order values increased by 9% in 2021.
Almost 43% of Black Friday sales happened through mobile phones.
Over 70% of purchases made on Shopify were through mobile phones.
Millennials were the biggest online spenders on Black Friday 2021.
People aged 35-44 were most likely to partake in Black Friday
Younger consumers were more likely to shop in-store.
About 29% of women intended to shop during Black Friday 2021.
Average savings on Black Friday specials was 24%.
Less than 50% of retailers offered sitewide Black Friday discounts in 2021.
17% of brands offered fewer discounts in 2021.
Black Friday was the best day for furniture/bedding and tools/home improvement purchases.
Wedges, Mules, and Flats were the most-in-demand apparel categories.
Nintendo Switch, Bаrbie, and Oculus VR were the most popular products bought during Black Friday 2021.
Amazon’s top deals were for Consumer Electronics.
TVs were the most popular Black Friday items at Walmart.

Top 10 products sold in Black Friday.

1- Apple AirPods Pro

2- Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer

3- iRobot Roomba i6+

4- TCL 65-inch 6-Series 4K QLED Smart TV

5- Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips

6- Cuisinart Multiclad Pro Stainless Steel Cookware Set

7- Oculus Quest 2 Virtual Reality Headset

8- Apple MacBook Air

9- Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier

10-Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones.

Conclusion

We all love deals. Especially when it comes to electronics, stats show.

Most of us prefer online shopping nowadays. I mean, who wouldn’t want to do all their shopping while in their PJs, sipping coffee?

Our shopping habits might’ve changed, but the Black Friday craze is going nowhere.

If you’re a retailer, those Black Friday sales statistics could help you a lot. If you’re just a mere shopper, you now know when the best deals are.

We were glad to be of service! Have fun shopping!