When it comes to Black Friday, two things immediately come to mind: “super discounts” and chaotic crowds. However, have you ever wondered when Black Friday originated and why people go “crazy” for this “Dark Friday”?
What You Need to Know About Black Friday
The Origin of Black Friday
Black Friday, also known as “Dark Friday,” is designated as the first Friday after Thanksgiving (an annual holiday primarily celebrated in the United States and Canada). Since Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday in November, Black Friday typically occurs between November 23 and 29.
According to USA Today, Black Friday was first mentioned in 1939 when Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States, faced pressure to move Thanksgiving from the last Thursday to the fourth Thursday in November to extend the Christmas shopping season.
“When the shopping season is extended, people will spend more, and the economy, which was in crisis at the time, will receive the necessary boost” – this was the idea behind the birth of Black Friday. The change in the Thanksgiving date was officially recognized in 1941, but the concept of Black Friday did not truly gain prominence until about a decade later.
Typical chaos seen on Black Friday shopping days.
According to another source, the name Black Friday originated in Philadelphia. In the 1950s, local police reportedly used the term to describe the Fridays after Thanksgiving, which were particularly challenging for them due to the influx of shoppers coming into the city from the suburbs.
According to Wikipedia, the name Black Friday began to gain traction after a traffic jam occurred on the Friday after Thanksgiving in 1965 in Philadelphia, when hundreds of thousands of Americans crowded the streets and sidewalks shopping for the upcoming Christmas holiday. This day is considered the start of the Christmas shopping season, similar to Boxing Day in many other countries.
Shopping enthusiasts eagerly await Black Friday to indulge in shopping.
In English, there is a term “In The Black” which indicates a profitable business. In contrast, “In The Red” refers to a loss-making situation. Historically, accountants would record profits in black ink and losses in red ink to easily distinguish between the two. Hence, the largest shopping day of the year was named Black Friday, implying it is a day of profit for businesses.
On Black Friday, most major retailers open their doors around 4 AM or earlier, with tens of thousands of items heavily discounted. These discounts can reach up to 30-40% or even more on common items such as electronics, appliances, furniture, and fashion. Many business owners even allow employees to take the day off like a holiday to go shopping.
People are willing to compete, fight, and even snatch items they desire from others.
For this reason, on Black Friday, regardless of the year, hundreds of people can be seen jostling and pushing each other in supermarkets and retail stores to grab discounted items. This is the only day of the year where even the most reserved and gentle shoppers can turn into aggressive “fanatics,” ready to fight for the items they want to own.
Last year, the number of customers pushing and shoving somewhat decreased, as many opted to shop online to avoid unfortunate altercations. However, due to the risk of not receiving items when ordering online, people still flock to supermarkets, shopping centers, and more to get the items they like.
When is Black Friday 2024?
Originating from Western countries and introduced to Vietnam in recent years, Black Friday has been embraced by many Vietnamese businesses, becoming a major shopping occasion with numerous high discount promotional programs, attracting significant consumer participation.
As mentioned in the section “What is Black Friday,” we can see that Black Friday falls on the last Friday of November each year, and this year, Black Friday 2024 will be on November 29, 2024.
Additionally, you can refer to Black Friday dates for previous years:
- Black Friday 2022: November 25, 2022
- Black Friday 2023: November 24, 2023
- Black Friday 2024: November 29, 2024
- Black Friday 2025: November 28, 2025
- Black Friday 2026: November 27, 2026
- Black Friday 2027: November 26, 2027
- Black Friday 2028: November 24, 2028
- Black Friday 2029: November 23, 2029
- Black Friday 2030: November 29, 2030
Tips for Shopping on Black Friday
While considered the biggest discount opportunity of the year, Black Friday also has many pitfalls that consumers may not foresee, such as:
- Clearing out inventory of questionable quality
- Inflating original prices significantly and then placing discount tags, tricking consumers into thinking they are getting a deal.
- Creating dangerous links aimed at stealing account and personal information on social media.
Therefore, consumers need to keep the following 6 tips in mind to find quality items during Black Friday while avoiding a “burned wallet” after this shopping holiday.
1. Create a Spending Plan for Black Friday
Since there are no official regulations on how long Black Friday will last, many stores have extended their promotional programs for an extended period with numerous appealing items.
Targeting customers’ desire for discounted items, shop owners have unleashed many tricks to stimulate shopping, even causing consumers to spend more on additional products to receive further discounts. As a result, many people find themselves “broke” by the end of the Black Friday event.
To avoid this situation, you need to have a clear spending plan for Black Friday by listing the items you intend to buy along with an allowable budget. And of course, you must adhere to this plan until the Black Friday season ends.
Absolutely avoid the temptation to purchase unnecessary items or those you are unsure when you will use. Additionally, consider paying with cash to reinforce the feeling of “spending money” rather than swiping a card, as some cards may incur additional fees.
2. Carefully Check Product Quality
Black Friday is also an opportunity for brands to clear out end-of-year inventory mixed with other promotional products, so users need to carefully check the quality of items before spending money.
In particular, be vigilant with items that are discounted by 70-90% of their regular price, especially regarding the quality of fashion items and the expiration dates of consumer goods.
Moreover, if you are hunting for deals by shopping online, don’t forget to consider factors such as product warranty time, shipping costs, or feedback from previous buyers.
3. Compare Product Prices
On Black Friday 2022, remember a key principle: “What you see may not be the truth.”
It’s not uncommon to encounter advertisements or products marked down by over 70%. However, don’t rush to buy; take some time to check its price on other websites or at times when the product is not on sale.
Exploiting consumers’ desire for “huge promotions,” many brands do not hesitate to create fake numbers by inflating the listed prices of products and then slapping on “huge” discount tags.
Therefore, searching for information before shopping is not a trivial task, especially with the upcoming Black Friday 2022.
4. Be Cautious of Unverified Advertisements
Black Friday is also a time for hackers to steal information or scam customers.
Since Black Friday always falls on a Friday, some people may be busy with work and unable to shop in person; instead, they often choose to shop online.
This also presents a “golden opportunity” for hackers to create malicious applications or links containing malware or viruses aimed at stealing customer information.
To avoid this situation, online shoppers should carefully consider before clicking on any links that are not provided by the official pages of the brands.
5. Actively Monitor Social Media Pages
Most stores have their own social media pages or official websites. Naturally, information about the upcoming Black Friday 2022, such as timing, products, prices, and locations, is frequently updated.
You will easily find great deals, especially promotional information from your favorite brands. So don’t hesitate to go online and check frequently!
6. Consider Your Shopping Timing
After gathering these five shopping tips for Black Friday, the final thing you need to pay attention to is the timing of your purchases.
According to insights from Black Friday deal hunters in previous years, the “golden time” to shop for discounts is the first few days of sales. During this time, high-quality products are still plentiful, and the crowd of shoppers is not overwhelming.
Therefore, instead of shopping on the last days of the event, aim to go early to secure the best products for yourself.
