Black Friday

Black Friday
Name	Black Friday
Caption	Crowded storefront on major shopping day
Date	Day after the fourth Thursday in November
Frequency	Annual
Observed by	United States; observed in United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Japan, China
Significance	Major retail sales day associated with Thanksgiving (United States), Retail apocalypse

Black Friday is an annual shopping day held the day after Thanksgiving (United States). It marks a high point in seasonal retail activity alongside events such as Cyber Monday, Small Business Saturday, and Christmas shopping; major retailers including Walmart, Target Corporation, Amazon (company), and Best Buy orchestrate national campaigns. The day affects fiscal reporting for chains like Kohl's, Macy's, and Nordstrom, and intersects with logistics networks tied to United Parcel Service, FedEx, and DHL Express.

History and origins

Origins are traced to nineteenth- and twentieth-century commercial practices in Philadelphia and narratives involving railroad schedules, with references to post-Thanksgiving (United States) travel patterns and seasonal demand that influenced firms such as Sears, Roebuck and Co. and J. C. Penney. Journalistic framing from outlets like The New York Times and The Washington Post popularized the term alongside analyses by economists at institutions such as Harvard University and University of Pennsylvania. Retail historians connect the phenomenon to promotional campaigns run by department stores including Marshall Field's and Selfridges as well as to broader shifts documented by scholars associated with Columbia University and London School of Economics.

Retail and economic impact

Black Friday drives revenue spikes for conglomerates like The Home Depot, Lowe's Companies, Inc., and Costco Wholesale Corporation, while influencing quarterly earnings reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Financial commentators at Bloomberg L.P., Reuters, and CNBC track same-store sales and foot traffic metrics compared with events like Prime Day (Amazon) and Singles' Day (China). The day affects supply chains involving Maersk, XPO Logistics, and Einride AB and can shift inventory strategies at brands such as Apple Inc., Samsung Electronics, and Sony Corporation.

Scheduling and timing

Held the day after Thanksgiving (United States), scheduling choices by retailers sometimes overlap with chains' internal timelines at Walmart, Target Corporation, and Best Buy and global markets such as Black Friday (UK) sales adapted by Argos, Currys, and John Lewis (retailer). The rise of online retailing accelerated the extension of sales into Cyber Monday and weeklong promotions modeled after campaigns by Amazon (company) and marketplaces like eBay. Timing also interacts with calendar events like Small Business Saturday and fiscal year-end practices at corporations including TJX Companies and Gap Inc..

Consumer behavior and cultural significance

Shoppers influenced by advertising from Procter & Gamble, Unilever, and Nike, Inc. compare offers across platforms operated by Google LLC, Meta Platforms, Inc., and Shopify. Media portrayals in outlets such as USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and The Guardian shape public perception alongside social media trends originating on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. Behavioral economists at Stanford University and University of Chicago study crowd dynamics and decision-making observed in queues outside stores like Walmart and Best Buy as well as bidding behavior on eBay.

Marketing, discounts, and pricing strategies

Retailers deploy strategies used by marketing teams at Procter & Gamble, Unilever, and L'Oréal including loss leader pricing, dynamic pricing engines provided by firms such as Oracle Corporation and SAP SE, and targeted promotions through Facebook (company) ads and email campaigns managed via Mailchimp. Price comparison tools built by Google LLC and Microsoft Corporation influence transparency, while analytics from Nielsen Holdings and consulting by McKinsey & Company guide assortment decisions at chains like Kohl's and Macy's. Promotional events mirror tactics used in Prime Day (Amazon) and tactics tested by Alibaba Group during Singles' Day (China).

Criticism, safety, and regulation

Critics include consumer advocates at Consumers Union, researchers at London School of Economics, and journalists at ProPublica who document issues such as aggressive crowding incidents at stores like Walmart and Target Corporation and disputes involving labor groups such as the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union and the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. Municipal authorities in cities such as New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago coordinate with law enforcement agencies including the New York City Police Department and Los Angeles Police Department on crowd control and public-safety protocols. Regulatory scrutiny by agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission addresses pricing transparency and advertising claims, while academic critiques from University of California, Berkeley and Yale University highlight environmental and social externalities.

Category:Retail