Four Questions: Tracing the Evolution of Black Friday
Black Friday started in the mid-1950s, and in recent years it has spawned other post-Thanksgiving "shopping holidays."

By Alexis Blue, University Communications
Nov. 21, 2016


For some, the day after Thanksgiving is a time to relax with family, enjoy turkey leftovers and perhaps untangle strings of Christmas lights. For others, it's a day to wake up early and hit the mall for some serious holiday shopping.

The Black Friday shopping tradition has become ingrained in the fabric of American culture since its start in the middle of the 20th century, and in recent years it has spawned the creation of other post-Thanksgiving shopping holidays, such as Cyber Monday, which targets online bargain hunters, and Small Business Saturday, when people are encouraged to get out and support local businesses.

While some shoppers embrace Black Friday in the quest for a good deal, others go out of their way to avoid the busy shopping day. Some retailers have even opted out of the Black Friday frenzy; outdoor retail giant REI, for example, closes on the day, encouraging its employees and customers to instead enjoy doing outdoor activities.

Anita Bhappu, University of Arizona associate professor of family and consumer sciences, talked about how Black Friday started and what it looks like today.

Q: In recent years, we saw Black Friday begin to merge with Thanksgiving, with sales at some stores beginning on the holiday itself. Now we're seeing a trend in the opposite direction, with more and more businesses closing for the holiday. What does this signify?

A: Successful retailers anticipate and respond to the wants and needs of their target customers. Retail business decisions — store opening hours, start of promotions — surrounding Black Friday reflect the changing expectations and buying behavior of American consumers. Retail sales data indicates that Black Friday is far from dead, but it is evolving to reflect different consumers in the marketplace. While cash-strapped and frugal consumers are still willing to line up for door-buster deals on Thanksgiving Day, others value the convenience and flexibility of shopping online from home or even at work. Some consumers start their holiday shopping right after Halloween, whereas others forgo the entire shopping frenzy to instead focus on family interactions at home and outdoors.

Q: What is the history of Black Friday?

A: Black Friday holiday shopping dates back to the 1950s, which is the same postwar time period when consumer consumption became an economic strategy in the U.S. The term "Black Friday" was first used by Philadelphia police and merchants to describe the post-Thanksgiving period when suburban shoppers traveled en masse into the city to do their holiday shopping. It was really a comical reference to the mayhem that ensued and the frustration of police and retail employees at having to work extra shifts to meet this consumer demand. Post-recession, Black Friday sales dipped during 2014 but are expected to continue growing modestly, 3 to 4 percent, this year. Online and mobile sales are growing at a much faster rate than store sales.

Q: How good are the deals on Black Friday? Can they really amount to significant savings, or is it just a gimmick to get people into stores? 

A: Savvy shoppers who spend time searching for the deals year-round are likely to find equivalent savings, especially for products and at retailers who promote heavily. For the rest of us, the concentration of promotions during the holiday and post-holiday shopping season do offer significant savings without much personal effort to find them, especially with online search tools and e-commerce buying options.

Q: For those who want to avoid Black Friday but still want to get good deals on their holiday shopping, what advice do you have?  

A: Shop online in your PJs!

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Anita Bhappu

UA Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences

520-621-5948

abhappu@email.arizona.edu