Stuff You Should Know Selects: How Black Friday Works
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Nov 29, 2025 Dive into the chaotic world of Black Friday, where deep discounts trigger holiday shopping madness. Discover the origins of the term and how it evolved from police slang to retail goldmine. Unpack the economic impact of the season and the surprising question of whether this one-day frenzy is actually hurting retailers. Learn about crowd crushes, infamous shopping incidents, and the rise of alternatives like Cyber Monday and Singles Day. It’s a riveting exploration of consumer culture and the fine line between holiday spirit and shopping insanity.
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Origins And Meaning Of Black Friday
- Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving and became the biggest US shopping day through cultural and retail promotion.
- The term originated in 1960s Philadelphia describing chaotic crowds, not stores 'going into the black.'
Retailers Engineered The Holiday Shopping Calendar
- Retailers created Cyber Monday and Small Business Saturday to extend the post-Thanksgiving shopping window.
- Pushing sales earlier (Thanksgiving evening) risks shortening the overall shopping season and alienating customers and workers.
One-Day Bargains Can Backfire Financially
- Making Black Friday the fixed kickoff compresses the shopping season and can reduce total retailer profit.
- Some analysts argue elongating sales or avoiding deep one-day discounts would be more profitable.