From its controversial origins in 1960s Philadelphia to becoming a global shopping phenomenon generating billions in sales, Black Friday has undergone a remarkable transformation. This is the story of how a day once dreaded by police officers became the most anticipated shopping event of the year.
Contrary to popular belief, "Black Friday" wasn't originally about retailers moving from red ink (losses) to black ink (profits). The term actually has much messier origins rooted in urban chaos and overwhelmed city infrastructure.
The earliest documented use of "Black Friday" in connection with post-Thanksgiving shopping dates back to Philadelphia in the 1950s and gained widespread use in the 1960s. Philadelphia police officers coined the term to describe the mayhem that occurred the day after Thanksgiving.
Why Philadelphia police dreaded this day:
Officers used the term "Black Friday" internally to describe this dreaded day, much like they might refer to a particularly difficult or chaotic event. By the early 1960s, the term had spread beyond police departments to newspapers and local business coverage.
"The term 'Black Friday' was originally used by Philadelphia police to describe the heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic that would occur on the day after Thanksgiving." — Joseph P. Barrett, former Philadelphia police officer
Retailers hated the negative connotation of "Black Friday." The phrase suggested something unpleasant—crime, chaos, and disorder—hardly the image they wanted for their biggest shopping day of the year.
Through the 1970s and early 1980s, some retailers attempted to rebrand it as "Big Friday," but the original name had already taken root in the public consciousness. Instead, retail industry groups pivoted to a new narrative: the "red to black" accounting story.
This explanation suggested that Black Friday was the day when retailers' annual accounts moved from being "in the red" (operating at a loss) to "in the black" (profitable). While this made for a more positive story, it wasn't historically accurate. Most retailers' annual profitability doesn't hinge on a single day, and many were already profitable well before the November shopping season.
Nevertheless, the accounting narrative stuck and gradually replaced the original police-related meaning in popular understanding. By the 1990s, most Americans associated Black Friday with shopping deals rather than urban chaos.
In the post-World War II economic boom, the day after Thanksgiving began emerging as a significant shopping day, though it wasn't yet the dominant force it would become.
Why this timing made sense:
During these early decades, Black Friday remained primarily a regional phenomenon, strongest in major metropolitan areas with substantial retail districts. Small towns and rural areas didn't experience the same intensity.
The 1980s and 1990s saw Black Friday transform from a regional shopping day into a national cultural event. Several factors drove this expansion:
Mall culture reaches its peak: The rise of suburban shopping malls made major retail centers accessible to a broader population. Families could shop dozens of stores in climate-controlled comfort, making all-day shopping marathons more appealing.
Media coverage intensifies: Local news stations began covering Black Friday as a human interest story, showing crowds of shoppers and interviewing deal-hunters. This coverage created awareness and FOMO (fear of missing out) among viewers.
Loss-leader strategy goes mainstream: Retailers began aggressively marketing "doorbuster" deals—products sold at or below cost to drive foot traffic. The strategy: lose money on one advertised item but profit from additional purchases shoppers make while in the store.
Internet changes everything: The emergence of e-commerce sites like Amazon (1994) and eBay (1995) began introducing competition. Brick-and-mortar retailers responded by making Black Friday deals even more aggressive to maintain relevance.
The 2000s transformed Black Friday from a shopping day into a cultural phenomenon, complete with its own traditions, rituals, and controversies.
Key developments that changed Black Friday forever:
The first Black Friday "incident": A Walmart crowd surge injured several shoppers, generating national media attention. While tragic, this coverage ironically amplified Black Friday's profile, portraying it as an event so significant that people would risk injury to participate.
Black Friday overtakes the Saturday before Christmas: For the first time, Black Friday generated more retail sales than the traditionally busiest shopping day (the last Saturday before Christmas). It cemented Black Friday as the premier shopping day.
The viral video era: YouTube videos of Black Friday chaos—fighting over TVs, trampling incidents, door-buster rushes—spread widely online. These videos had dual effects: deterring some shoppers while simultaneously creating a "sport" mentality among others.
The recession boost: The Great Recession actually increased Black Friday's importance. Cash-strapped families needed deals more than ever, and retailers relied on holiday sales to survive. This created a perfect storm of aggressive discounting and determined shoppers.
Thanksgiving creep begins: Some retailers started opening on Thanksgiving evening, eroding the traditional family holiday. This sparked significant backlash but also demonstrated how valuable Black Friday had become to retailers' bottom lines.
Cyber Monday becomes official: Online shopping on the Monday after Thanksgiving was branded "Cyber Monday" in 2005, but by 2012 it had grown large enough to rival Black Friday itself, generating over $1 billion in sales.
The shift to online: Online Black Friday sales begin consistently exceeding in-store sales for the first time. Retailers respond by offering identical deals online and in stores, reducing the need for physical shopping.
"Black November" emerges: Retailers start releasing Black Friday deals weeks in advance, stretching the event from a single day to an entire month. Amazon, Walmart, and Target all launch early November sales events.
The pandemic pivot: COVID-19 forced most retailers to close stores on Thanksgiving and Black Friday or implement strict capacity limits. Online sales surged 22% year-over-year, accelerating the transition to digital shopping.
The new normal: Black Friday becomes a hybrid event with online shopping dominating but in-store "experiential" shopping still drawing crowds. Most major retailers permanently close on Thanksgiving Day and spread deals across multiple weeks.
To understand Black Friday's extraordinary growth, consider these statistics:
1990s: Black Friday generated approximately $5-10 billion in total retail sales annually across all channels.
2005: $8 billion in total Black Friday sales (first year it overtook pre-Christmas Saturday).
2010: $45 billion total sales, with approximately $10.7 billion spent online.
2015: $102 billion for the Thanksgiving weekend (Thursday-Sunday), with online representing about 30% of sales.
2019: $143.7 billion over the five-day period, with online sales reaching $7.4 billion on Black Friday alone.
2020: $186 billion total, with online Black Friday sales hitting $9 billion (pandemic acceleration).
2023: $200+ billion for Thanksgiving weekend, with online sales dominating at $9.8 billion on Black Friday itself.
Shopping participation rates also reveal the growth:
What began as an American phenomenon has spread globally, though with varying degrees of success and cultural adaptation.
Canada (2000s): The easiest export, as Canadian retailers needed to compete with cross-border shopping trips to the U.S. By 2008, Black Friday was well-established in Canada, though Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving in October, not November.
United Kingdom (2010): Amazon brought Black Friday to the UK in 2010. By 2013, major British retailers like ASDA (owned by Walmart) adopted the tradition. Initial response was mixed, with many Brits viewing it as an unwelcome American import.
Europe (2011-2015): Black Friday spread across Europe with varying success:
Australia & New Zealand (2012-2015): Black Friday competed with existing Boxing Day (December 26) sales traditions. Many retailers now run both events.
Latin America (2015-present): Brazil's "Black Friday" became notorious for fake discounts and was locally nicknamed "Black Fraud." Regulatory crackdowns have since improved legitimacy. Mexico, Argentina, and Chile have seen growing participation.
Asia (2015-present): Limited adoption due to competition with established shopping events like Singles' Day (China, November 11) and year-end sales. Japan and South Korea have modest Black Friday participation, primarily online.
Beyond retail economics, Black Friday has significantly influenced American culture and society in ways both obvious and subtle.
By the early 2000s, camping outside stores before Black Friday openings had become a tradition for some dedicated shoppers. Some would arrive days in advance, bringing tents, sleeping bags, and camping chairs.
This created a unique subculture where strangers bonded over shared goals, formed informal line-management systems, and traded tips about which stores had the best deals. Some families made it an annual tradition, viewing it as a fun adventure rather than just shopping.
However, this practice has largely disappeared with the shift to online shopping and the elimination of extreme doorbusters that required physical presence.
When retailers began opening on Thanksgiving evening in 2011, it sparked intense national debate about work-life balance, employee rights, and American values.
Arguments against Thanksgiving openings:
Arguments in favor:
By 2020, the COVID pandemic effectively ended Thanksgiving openings, and most major retailers have committed to staying closed on Thanksgiving permanently—a victory for work-life balance advocates.
Black Friday made luxury goods temporarily accessible to middle-class consumers who couldn't afford them at regular prices. A $2,000 TV might drop to $800, making it attainable for families saving specifically for Black Friday.
This accessibility, however, came with trade-offs. Some economists argue that Black Friday trained consumers to wait for sales rather than pay full price, potentially devaluing products and conditioning buyers to expect constant discounts.
Black Friday transformed shopping from a chore into competitive entertainment. People began treating it like a sport—strategizing, planning plays, forming teams, and competing for victory (the best deals).
Media coverage reinforced this framing, showing shoppers sprinting into stores, wrestling over discounted electronics, and celebrating their "wins." This gamification made shopping exciting and memorable, creating lasting cultural impact.
Black Friday's growth hasn't been without serious problems and legitimate criticisms.
The most disturbing aspect of Black Friday has been recurring incidents of violence and injury:
These incidents raised serious questions about whether any deal justifies risking injury or death, and whether retailers were doing enough to ensure shopper safety.
Retail workers have borne the brunt of Black Friday's demands:
Labor advocacy groups have increasingly criticized Black Friday as exploitative, arguing that retailers profit while frontline workers suffer both physically and emotionally.
The environmental cost of Black Friday has drawn increasing scrutiny:
Some European countries have seen "anti-Black Friday" movements encouraging consumers to repair rather than replace, or to boycott shopping entirely on Black Friday.
Consumer watchdog groups have repeatedly exposed retailers for false or misleading Black Friday advertising:
Multiple retailers have faced Federal Trade Commission investigations and lawsuits over deceptive Black Friday advertising.
Despite its continued commercial success, Black Friday faces significant headwinds that may ultimately diminish its cultural dominance.
Black Friday no longer happens on just one Friday. With "Black November" becoming standard, the special nature of the day has been diluted. When every day in November offers Black Friday deals, none of them feel special.
This spreading-out benefits retailers (spreading risk and inventory management) but reduces urgency for consumers. Why rush to shop Black Friday when identical deals are available the following Tuesday?
Amazon's everyday low prices and constant sales have fundamentally altered consumer expectations. Why wait for Black Friday when Amazon offers comparable prices year-round with faster shipping and easier returns?
Amazon's Prime Day (July) has also created a summer shopping event that rivals Black Friday, fragmenting annual shopping into multiple major events rather than concentrating it in November.
Younger consumers, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, show different shopping priorities compared to previous generations:
COVID-19 accelerated trends that were already reshaping Black Friday:
From its origins as a term describing urban chaos to becoming a global shopping phenomenon generating hundreds of billions in sales, Black Friday represents a uniquely American creation that has both reflected and shaped consumer culture for decades.
It democratized access to luxury goods, created shared cultural experiences, and drove significant economic activity. It also exposed the darker sides of consumer capitalism: worker exploitation, dangerous shopping frenzies, environmental damage, and the cultivation of acquisition as entertainment.
As Black Friday continues evolving—spreading across multiple weeks, shifting online, and facing growing skepticism—its future remains uncertain. What started as a single chaotic day may ultimately transform into something entirely different: a month-long digital shopping season that retains the name but little of the original character.
Whether that evolution represents progress or loss depends on one's perspective. For retailers, the democratization of deals across time and channels maximizes revenue while reducing operational challenges. For consumers, it offers convenience and choice while potentially diminishing the excitement and urgency that once defined Black Friday.
What seems certain is that Black Friday, in whatever form it takes, will remain an important milestone in the American retail calendar for years to come—a testament to its deep integration into our cultural fabric and commercial infrastructure.