For millions of individuals, Black Friday represents the start of the Christmas shopping season, even before the last of the Thanksgiving leftovers have been spent! The Friday following Thanksgiving is known as Black Friday, and it is one of the most important shopping days of the year in the United States, falling between November 23 and November 29. The date for Black Friday in 2021 is November 26. Despite the fact that it is not an official US holiday, many employees, with the exception of those in retail, receive the day off.

Origin of the phrase “Black Friday”

Looking back at the history of Black Friday, the name “Black Friday” was coined in Philadelphia. The packed streets of Philadelphia in the early 1960s, jammed with automobiles and pedestrians headed to the Army-Navy football game and shopping for discounts after Thanksgiving, were dubbed “Black Friday” by police.  Philadelphia’s top department shops sought to change the name to “Big Friday” to avoid the bad image, but the rebranding failed. Despite not being an official day, or holiday, Black Friday is celebrated world over by big brands and enterprises.

In a non-retail context, it also refers to the 1869 financial crisis, which was triggered by gold spectators who attempted but failed to corner the gold market, leading the market to collapse and stocks to fall.

What made Black Friday so popular?

Black Friday became the official shopping day, even better than those last-minute Christmas discounts, as companies realized they could draw large crowds by slashing prices. Some businesses put their things on sale the morning of Thanksgiving, while others send out online deals to customers days or weeks ahead of time. Electronics and popular toys are the most sought-after commodities, as they may be the most heavily reduced. The huge bargains, on the other hand, include price reductions on everything from home furnishings to clothing.

It’s a long “day” on Black Friday. Traditionally, many stores would open their doors to throngs of customers waiting outside their windows on Thanksgiving day. However, in the aftermath of the pandemic, a tendency of staying closed on Thanksgiving and opening early on Friday has grown.

For those who don’t want to wait in line outside businesses, online Black Friday deals usually begin at the same time as in-store bargains, if not a little sooner. Shoppers should expect to see a lot of doorbusters — items with prices so cheap that the business may not earn a profit – both online and in stores to tempt them. Most large retailers publish their Black Friday ad scans, coupons, and deals online ahead of time to allow customers time to research sales and make purchasing decisions. Other businesses adopt a different tactic, holding off on releasing their Black Friday advertising until the last possible moment in the hopes of creating a buzz and keeping people waiting for an announcement.

Everything changes in 2021

Consumers are increasingly opting to purchase online rather than queue outdoors in the early morning chill with a swarm of other Christmas shoppers or compete for the final most-wanted item. This had been happening for years, but the coronavirus pandemic drove more people online than ever before.

In 2020, the desire for online delivery grew even more, and it became the most popular form of buying for that season. On Thanksgiving Day, COVID-19 effectively put an end to in-store purchasing. While some stores held Black Friday bargains in-store, they were significantly more muted than the frantic sprint across the aisles of previous years. For a month, several stores provided in-store and online promotions at the same time. Others, such as Walmart and Target, held many Black Friday events throughout November, removing the need to queue on Black Friday itself.

How to get the best Black Friday deals

Research on the items you want to buy

It’s pointless to get a decent deal if the product isn’t any good. During the holiday season, customers often fight over things we wouldn’t endorse. Doing your homework pays off. Check out our reviews to see which ones are right for you and your budget.

Avoid unusual brands

On Black Friday, bargains abound, but just because a TV says 4K and HDR on the box doesn’t guarantee it’ll deliver the same visual quality as a Best Buy model. We’re not arguing that every brand you’ve never heard of is awful, but there’s a reason why certain brands are well-known and others just appear in sales. If we haven’t tested a product from a certain brand, chances are it isn’t worth buying.

Check the pricing history of your favorite goods

When we looked into Black Friday offers for 2020, we discovered that 85 percent of the goods in previous Black Friday’ sales’ were previously available for the same price or less six months prior. There are some handy web tools for determining how much a product has really sold for in the past so you can determine whether the ‘sale’ price reflects excellent value.

Make a list of different stores that sell the same item

Due to the high volume of traffic on Black Friday, websites may collapse and stores may run out of stock. If this happens when you’re trying to buy a product, having a list of stockists prepared ahead of time can allow you to try others and avoid missing out.