Why Is It Called Black Friday?

December 8, 2025 By Nancy William No Comments 8 minutes

Ah! Black Friday, marked as one of the biggest, busiest, and most extravagant seasons of the year, where sales are at their lowest prices. But most often ask, “Why is it called Black Friday?”  Every year, as the last bites of pumpkin pie are savored, a collective shift happens. 

We move from a day of gratitude to a night of anticipation, all centered around a single, powerful phrase: Black Friday. The term itself feels dramatic, almost ominous. It conjures images of predawn lines, crowded stores, and a kind of cheerful consumer chaos.

The Black Friday sales last for almost a week, and in some stores, up to a month. It might seem like its origins are something very mythical, but it’s far more human than you might think. It’s something that has fundamentally reshaped how we shop, the impact it has in retail, and the power it’s bestowed on the internet itself.

Now, we know that it’s when you get the biggest discounts, but do you know why is it called Black Friday shopping? This guide tells you everything about the history of one of the biggest global shopping seasons of the year.  

The Origins – Why is it Called Black Friday?

So, why is Black Friday called Black Friday? Contrary to a popular myth, the name “Black Friday” did not originate from retailers moving from financial “red” (loss) to “black” (profit). While this is a neat and tidy explanation, the true origin is much messier. It all began in the stressed-out streets of Philadelphia in the 1950s.

The term was first used by Police officers in the city to describe the chaotic day after Thanksgiving. This is when masses of suburban shoppers and tourists would flood into the city ahead of the big Army-Navy football game. It created monumental traffic jams, crowd control issues, and a general nightmare for law enforcement. 

They couldn’t take the day off; they had to work long, difficult shifts in the chaos. The term “black” was used in a derogatory sense. It is a lot like describing a dreadful day as a “black mark” or for one that made a negative difference. 

For years, the phrase persisted in the city as a local slang for a massive headache. Retailers, on the other hand, understandably, hated the negative connotation. They even tried to rebrand it as “Big Friday,” but the term had already stuck.

 It wasn’t until later that the “red to black” narrative was cleverly spun, transforming a term of dark happenings into one of prosperity.

Through the new term and a bit of brilliant PR tweaking, it reframed a day of chaos to one that benefited business health and bigger discounts for the public. This reframing stuck, and as the sales and frenzy grew nationally, so did this sanitized, profit-oriented origin story.

Black Friday Reshaping the Retail Industry

Black Friday has a huge impact on the retail industry; it was even called revolutionary. It single-handedly created quite a modern twist to the ultimate “holiday shopping season.” This established a clear starting shot for consumer spending. It’s the best season to get super discounted deals on clothing, mega VPN deals, cleaning supplies, and much more. 

For decades, it became the most important day on the retail calendar, a day where a store’s entire annual profit could seemingly be made or lost.

This concentration of consumer demand forced retailers to become event planners. They began orchestrating their entire fourth quarter around this one day. It’s where planning inventory, staffing, marketing strategies, and other CTA strategies months in advance was the main game plan.

The competition for the “doorbuster” deal, which is a very exclusive, deeply discounted, limited-time item, is designed to draw in hordes of people. 

We saw the birth of a new shopping culture, the thrill of the hunt, the support of the workforce behind it, and the strategic planning of shopping routes. This is where Black Friday became more than just super-discounted shopping; it’s now the end-of-the-year hunt.

Did it Have Any Downsides?

Yes, despite spiking retail sales rates and their evolution, it still comes with its downsides. The intense pressure led to concerns about worker treatment. Black Friday is one of the busiest seasons. However, its employees often have to cut their Thanksgiving short, and also shorten the little time they spend with family. They are called to prepare for midnight openings much earlier than expected. 

Also, not sure if you’ve heard of shopper altercations over discounted electronics; the story is very much true, and is often the staple of the evening news. Things like this highlight the darker side of Black Friday eve sales. 

However, the industry still never died down; it only evolved again. Now, it stretched the “Black Friday” concept into a “Black Friday weekend,” incorporating Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. Ultimately, down the path, the season grew into a month-long series of deals.

Black Friday – Bangs Louder With Online Sales

Black Friday was once called the Brick-and-Mortar sales season, which meant in-person shopping during the season. However, a lot has changed since then, and its collision with the digital world is a seismic shift. For a long time, the season was mostly a physical experience. But as the internet evolved, it created a more modern, faster, and less stressful shopping experience. This is especially true for seasons like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Sales.  

After Black Friday, an extension of it called “Cyber Monday” was coined in 2005. It was the first major acknowledgment that online shopping needed its own focus. It was mainly created for people returning to work, with fast internet connections, ready to shop. 

However, as broadband and smartphones became “more present everywhere,” the distinction began to fade. Black Friday didn’t just move online; it colonized the entire digital space.

How Did the Shift Impact the Internet’s Power?

Here are a few key points on how: 

Stress Test for Digital Infrastructure

Black Friday became the ultimate trial by fire for websites. It caused a massive and simultaneous surge of millions of users to click “add to cart.” Because of this, servers often crashed or, in some cases, almost did. This forced a rapid evolution in cloud computing, load balancing, and e-commerce platform stability. 

The internet had to become more robust, reliable, and fast to handle what became one of the year’s biggest traffic events. It strengthened the entire digital ecosystem.

The Data Mine

Online Black Friday shopping created an unprecedented treasure mine of data. It made it easier for retailers to track much more than just what was sold. They were now able to see how people used their site, the items they were scouting before buying, what made them leave their cart, and where they were shopping from.

This data became more valuable than any single-day sales. It opened the door to hyper-personalized marketing, inventory forecasting, and a deep dive into consumer behavior. In short, converting to online Black Friday shopping brought in far more data and activity in online stores than in physical stores. 

Too Many Hurdles for Physical Shopping

The old Black Friday wasn’t for everyone, especially with how crazy sales get during the season. Getting a doorbuster deal meant sleeping outside stores, waiting in long and endless lines, pushing through crowds, and only to find out the item you wanted was sold out. Even if items are sold out, finding out online was much quicker. 

Online shopping, especially during Black Friday, was a complete game-changer. Now, you will only need an internet connection and your couch to get the biggest deals and discounts during the season. Doesn’t that sound amazing? Getting the best bargains from literally anywhere? Plus, it also made things easier for employees, not having to be pushed and shoved around during the biggest sale of the season. 

Frequently Asked Questions

To Conclude

That should be the answer to your question on “Why is it called Black Friday?” Today, the waiting lines are almost entirely erased. It, nowadays, is no longer a day but a season that runs from early November through the 1st of January. The term that was once used to describe Philadelphia traffic jams now describes a global phenomenon. It’s a season that brings good deals and a shared experience.

Even though the Black Friday history began as an all-American tale of adaptation, of frustrated cops and clever marketers, it evolved into a force that reshaped our stores and supercharged our internet. It’s a reminder that our traditions are often born from chaos, and that the most powerful changes often come from the most unexpected places. Because of its widespread impact, the season has now become the center of sales in most countries. However, some countries often refer to it as Blessed Friday, Big Friday, November Sale, and Cyber Monday.  

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