What Is Black Friday?

The truth behind "Black Friday" has less to do with the Christmas shopping season that we witness each year. But more to relate with the disgruntled traffic chaos that happened back in the 1950s after the day of Thanksgiving.

Some rumors spread across the pond about how Black Friday began. But now, it has come to be accepted as the day where retailers go into the black to make much of their yearly profits. 

(Image Courtesy: Snopes)

Just like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday is one of the largest shopping days of the year. The day is stuffed amidst bargains accompanied with almost every product. You might not even realize that you needed a product unless the Black Friday sales kick in. 

Both the US and UK retailers rely on the Christmas season and the public actively waits to access the discounted prices offered by numerous online/ offline stores. This year on the 24th of November, Black Friday deals are supposed to commence. 

How It Originated?

The 1950s deposed a pathetic traffic bedlam just the day after Thanksgiving in the city of Philadelphia. Too many shoppers (in an unimaginable number) turned out on the streets on a single day. This caused a lot of confusion, accidents, and violence. One of the cops at the Philadelphia Police Department described this congestion using the term Black Friday. So it related to all the mayhem that took place on the Friday following the Thanksgiving Day.

(Image Courtesy: Mirror)

The shopping season till now drives in a massively crazy mob. Initially, the retailer did not appreciate the fact that the term associated with it has some negative connotations. They wanted to make it sense like a positive day. For them, Black Friday was a profitable day that reflected the retailing and economic success.

And with time, the horrible incident that took place years ago completely lost its antiquity. Now, the turkey stuffed customers take advantage of shopping on holiday. And all thanks to online retailers like Amazon that the shopping fest spreads across the globe.

(Image Courtesy: The Black Friday)

Despite coming from the Americans, Black Friday is now viral in the US and UK. In a survey conducted by the digital consultancy Salmon, it was just the UK that spent an estimated £810 million during the Black Friday sales. And in the year 2015, 7.4 million items were ordered from Amazon who truly got the trend introduced in the UK. But are Black Friday deals worth it? Definitely! They open up a Pandora's box of discounts and bargain to instantly grab. Everything happens within a jiffy, and there's no time to even take a minute on deciding what needs to be purchased. Either you buy it, or you lose it!

One day sale bonanza is now morphed into a four-day event. Stores open up as early as possible. The most dedicated shoppers line up. And there you can witness a twist to the tradition. Every company guarantees its own Black Friday ads and Black Friday deals to attract more and more customers. It's a crazy time where shops are mobbed, and stocks fall short!