Black Friday History: Everything to Know

Black Friday did not start off as some promotional gimmick in a boardroom. It became one because shoppers came in large numbers, stores competed to be the first in the heat, and everyone rushed to get a piece of the cake. What used to be one exciting shopping day right after Thanksgiving has expanded into weeks of deals, fueled by ads, smart algorithms, and targeting people the moment they start thinking about buying.

These days, Black Friday isn’t really about camping out in lines or seeing the deepest cuts. It’s about getting seen. Seen on Google, on Amazon, and other marketplaces, across social feeds, and more and more through AI that guesses what you want before you even search. The brands that come out on top don’t just drop prices harder; they plan smarter. They get the timing right, play into how people think, keep stock ready, and catch demand through ads, product listings, and follow-up retargeting.

We run a digital marketing agency, Hustle Marketers, and work with online brands every day. One thing stands out year after year: winning Black Friday doesn’t happen by luck anymore. It gets built step by step.

To see where things are headed, you have to look back at how it all started. Here’s the full story, where Black Friday came from, how it changed, and why it matters so much right now.

What Is Black Friday?

Black Friday is the big shopping day that falls on the Friday right after Thanksgiving in the US. For a long time, it kicked off the entire holiday buying season, with stores offering deep discounts to attract large crowds and drive strong sales.

Why Does It Come After Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving flips a switch in people’s heads; they go from everyday spending to thinking about gifts, treats for themselves, and bigger buys. Stores jumped on that mood shift and made the next day the first real chance to spend big before Christmas rolls around.

How It Became a Global Shopping Event

It began in the US but spread fast once online shopping killed distance barriers. Sites like Amazon, along with low-cost worldwide shipping, brought Black Friday to Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and beyond. Plenty of countries don’t even celebrate Thanksgiving, but their shoppers still hunt for Black Friday deals every year.

Sale Day vs Retail Season

Black Friday stopped being just one Friday ages ago. Now it stretches into:

• Early bird sales
• Pre-Black Friday offers
• Full Black Friday week
• Cyber Monday
• “Deals still going” pushes

In real life, it feels more like a whole shopping season than a single date on the calendar.

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Evolution of Black Friday Over Decades

Origins of Black Friday (Pre-1960s)

Back then, “Black Friday” wasn’t a happy phrase at all. In the 1950s and 60s, Philadelphia cops used it to describe the total mess: crowds jamming the streets, cars gridlocked, and officers stuck managing chaos the day after Thanksgiving when everyone hit downtown stores.

Stores disliked the negative vibe and worked to turn it around. Slowly, the term started meaning something good: “black” for profits rolling in instead of staying in the red. That switch turned Black Friday from a headache into a money-making shot.

Retail Adoption (1970s–1990s)

Starting in the 70s big chains got serious about Black Friday deals. They rolled out sharp in-store cuts to steal shoppers from rivals. Doorbuster specials — tiny batches of super-cheap stuff — created lines and buzz. 

Malls turned into the place to be. Families mapped out their routes. Stores pushed opening times earlier every year. It wasn’t only about low prices anymore; whoever grabbed attention first usually walked away with the sale.

That time locked in rules we still live by:

• Scarcity gets people moving
• Timing can make or break it
• Being first in someone’s view usually closes the deal

Ecommerce Disruption (2000–2010)

Online shopping flipped everything. No more limits on store size or how far people would drive. Shoppers could check prices side by side in seconds, so hiding bad deals got way harder.

Early online moves brought:

• Web-only Black Friday specials
• Deals pushed straight to inboxes
• Huge jumps in searches for certain items

Stores that jumped in quickly started pouring money into search ads and banners. Black Friday shifted from relying on in-store foot traffic to owning the top spot when people typed in what they wanted.

Mobile + Marketplace Era (2011–2020)

Phones changed the game completely. Nobody waited to get home to a computer anymore. People shopped from the sofa, in the car, or even standing in a store, checking if the same thing cost less somewhere else.

Amazon and other big marketplaces took over:

• Stretching sales across days
• Getting folks used to seeing deals pop up early
• Making prices bounce around on purpose

This stretch also saw retargeting take off, along with product feeds and tactics to win back people who left their carts.

Black Friday shifted from acquiring new shoppers to converting browsers into buyers as smoothly as possible.

AI & Automation Era (2021–Present)

Now everything runs on data and machines. Prices get set, ads go out, stock gets placed, and audiences get picked mostly by code these days.

Big changes show up as:

• Discounts made just for you instead of everyone
• Prices that shift based on what people are actually buying
• Campaigns that stay live and ramp up when the second interest jumps

Google, Meta, and marketplaces give the edge to brands with clean data, sharp listings, and solid past results. Winning Black Friday today starts long before the weekend; it’s about having your systems dialed in in advance.

What’s So Special About Black Friday?

Black Friday is different because it aligns shoppers who are already in buy mode, offers big price drops, and maximizes visibility all at once. It’s not another random promotion — it’s a moment when people show up ready to spend.

Brands don’t have to build desire from scratch here; they just have to grab it fast and clean. That’s the real edge over normal sales periods.

Scarcity-Driven Buying Behavior

The whole thing feeds on smart limits. Short windows, low-stock warnings, and ticking clocks prompt people to react more quickly. Shoppers feel like waiting means missing out, so they decide faster, even on expensive items.

Extreme Time Pressure

Most sales drag on forever, but Black Friday feels like it could end any second. People expect deals to disappear, which reduces endless comparison and abandoned carts. That rush is why checkout numbers spike.

Discount Anchoring Effect

Stores display the old price first, so the sale price appears large. A normal cut feels massive next to a jacked-up “regular” price. It tricks the brain into seeing larger savings without significantly reducing actual profit.

Deferred Demand Explosion

Many people hold off on purchases for months, waiting for this window. Tech, presents, furniture, fancy gear, everything piles up, then dumps at once. Brands that show up strong capture demand; others never touch it.

Algorithm-Friendly Sales Environment

Search, marketplaces, and ad networks know Black Friday is coming. They open more ad slots, push shopping results more aggressively, and highlight items on sale. Brands set up right get a free boost in reach without spending extra.

Cultural Expectation of Value

Everyone just knows Black Friday means the best prices of the year. Shoppers click and buy faster because they already believe the deals are real. That trust alone lifts ad clicks, engagement, and sales, whether online or in person.

Black Friday and the Rise of Cyber Monday

Black Friday didn’t grow alone. It started in stores, then pulled online shopping along for the ride. Cyber Monday didn’t fight it; it became part of the same long weekend stretch. These days, they run together as a single, ecommerce-driven sales wave, driven by ads and smart tracking.

Why Black Friday Was Introduced in the First Place

No one created Black Friday as an official holiday. It was an extension of what people did daily after Thanksgiving. People were on break, were in a festive mood, and went on early Christmas shopping. The crowds at retailers prompted them to cut prices to capture as much of the rush as possible, and a regular day turned into a major sales event.

When Black Friday Became a Retail Strategy

By the late 70s and into the 80s, big stores made it official. They planned promotions around that Friday, rolled out doorbusters, opened super early, and limited stock on hot items. The plan was simple: drive significant sales quickly, bring in new customers, and kick off the holiday season strong.

Why Cyber Monday Was Introduced

Cyber Monday popped up in the mid-2000s as more people shopped online. After Thanksgiving weekend, people returned to work, sat at their desks, and continued hunting for deals. Retailers coined the term to drive online-only spending and create a web-only peak moment without physical stores.

How Cyber Monday Changed Buying Behavior

It made online deal-chasing normal. People got okay spending big digitally, flipping between tabs to compare, and jumping on emails or ads. Brands had to step up site speed, easy checkout, and digital ads to handle the flood.

Black Friday vs Cyber Monday Today

Most brands no longer split them.

• The same code usually works for both (think BFCM20)
• Cyber Monday is often marketed as “deals still live.”
• Looks and offers blend together

The difference is mostly in wording now, not in how things actually run.

Black Friday vs Cyber Monday vs Thanksgiving

People lump them together, but from a marketing perspective, they each attract different audiences.

• Thanksgiving keeps things chill — family time, casual browsing.
• Black Friday lights the fire — urgency, deep cuts, ready-to-buy energy.
• Cyber Monday brings the thinkers — comparing specs, checking reviews, finishing online.

Top brands treat it as one long window. They start ads early, hit hardest on Black Friday, then carry offers through Cyber Monday without starting over. The thing is not to cut it up but to make a smooth flow.

How Does Black Friday Benefit Startups and Large Businesses?

Black Friday is a demand turbo button. When properly executed, it packs months of development, a new customer base, and revenue spikes into a short, intense burst.

Startups and large organizations succeed in different ways. The trick is to align prices, messages, merchandise, and advertising so they all coincide with traffic surges.

Benefits of Black Friday for Startups

1. Instant Visibility in a Crowded Market

Black Friday is loved by struggling new brands, as customers hunt for deals rather than brands. Paid advertisements, sponsored placements, and search results allow startups to fully become equal to giants and win the attention that would be otherwise very expensive.

2. Faster Customer Acquisition at Scale

Traffic converts quick here. Intent runs high so first-time buyers don’t hesitate much. Startups can scoop up customers fast, grow email lists, and build retargeting groups in days instead of months. Even slim-margin first buys pay off big when people stick around later.

3. Brand Discovery and Trust Building

People are more likely to try unknown brands when the price feels like a steal. Clean pages, strong reviews, and candid communication help new names earn trust quickly. One solid Black Friday purchase often leads to repeat business throughout the rest of the year.

4. Proof of Product-Market Fit

Seeing what flies off shelves during Black Friday shows what people really want. Startups spot top items, test price sensitivity, and learn audience insights in real time. That info shapes marketing, stock plans, and scaling long after the holidays end.

Benefits of Black Friday for Large Businesses

1. Massive Revenue Volume in Short Windows

For big players, it’s all about sheer size. Huge traffic plus deep stock means millions in extra sales over a few days. Tiny bumps in conversion rate translate into serious revenue quickly.

2. Inventory Clearance Without Brand Damage

Big brands use the moment to clear out old lines, seasonal leftovers, or excess stock without appearing desperate. Everyone expects discounts, so it doesn’t erode regular pricing power while emptying warehouses.

3. Market Share Expansion

Large ad wallets and name recognition let big names dominate search results, marketplace features, and social feeds. Smaller rivals get squeezed out of prime spots, handing market share over during the busiest time.

4. Data-Driven Retargeting at Scale

Black Friday yields user behavior data. Big brands track millions of views, carts, and buys. That fuels sharper follow-ups, custom offers, and upsells for months, bumping up how much each customer spends over time.

Black Friday for Small Businesses vs Large Businesses

Factor	Small Businesses	Large Businesses
Margins	Tighter, sensitive	Flexible
Scale	Limited inventory	High-volume
Ad Competition	High pressure	Budget advantage
Risk	Higher if unplanned	Managed
Reward	Brand discovery	Revenue dominance

From tiny local shops to worldwide chains, everyone discounts for Black Friday. What separates winners is who captures attention when the competition intensifies.

Is It Worth It for Customers to Buy During Black Friday?

Shoppers can score real wins but only if they stay sharp.

Real vs Fake Discounts

Some stores raise prices weeks in advance, then “slash” them back to normal. Smart buyers check price trackers or tools to see if the deal actually saves anything.

Impulse Buying Risks

The rush can lead to quick buys you might regret later. Happens a lot with cheap stuff you don’t really need.

Best Categories to Buy

Black Friday usually delivers solid value on:

• Electronics
• Home appliances
• Software subscriptions
• Basic apparel
• Beauty & skincare bundles

When to Avoid Black Friday

Skip it for hot new releases or items that barely drop in price. Limited real savings show up there.

Importance of Black Friday in the Ecommerce Era

Black Friday has become a core driver of growth for online stores.

Role of Marketplaces

Amazon, Walmart, and eBay set the tone with early deals. DTC brands either match them or disappear from view. Ignoring marketplaces means missing huge chunks of demand.

Impact on DTC Brands

For direct-to-customer shops, Black Friday means:

• Lower cost to grab new buyers because intent spikes
• Highest conversion rates of the year
• Retargeting that works great

Brands with pages, ads, and offers ready early pull way ahead of those scrambling at the last second.

Paid Ads, Feed Optimization & Retargeting

Black Friday performance comes down to setup more than flashy ideas.

What really moves the needle:

• Clean, up-to-date product feeds
• Right prices and real stock levels
• Good past conversion data
• Smart budget ramps without overspending

Messy feeds or broken tracking can tank everything in minutes.

Data Collection & Customer Lifetime Value

Black Friday does more than bring cash — it sets up the future:

• Fresh customer lists
• Behavior info for better targeting
• Groups ready for upsells and cross-sells

Brands that treat it like a data grab beat those that see it as a quick sale.

Future of Black Friday Marketing in 2026

From One Day to Continuous Events

Black Friday keeps stretching. Flash drops, VIP early access, and member-only previews take over from single-day madness.

Personalized Discounts

Instead of everyone getting the same cut, offers shift per person:

• Deals tied to your cart
• Special pricing for loyal buyers
• Tiered rewards

It keeps profits safer while still closing more sales.

Loyalty-Based Pricing

Regular customers now expect better prices. Brands pull from customer data to give VIP deals to high-value people, cutting back on blasting discounts to everyone.

Black Friday in the Age of AI & Automation

Forget guessing or rushing ads at the end. In 2026, Black Friday is driven by smart systems, automation, and predictive analytics. AI handles pricing, ad spend, custom offers, and scaling sales during the rush. Winners aren’t the ones yelling loudest; they’re the ones running tight operations.

AI-Driven Pricing & Discount Intelligence

Prices move live now. AI monitors competitors, past sales, how quickly items sell, and profit margins, then tweaks offers by the hour. That’s why two people can see different deals on the exact same item.

Predictive Demand Forecasting

AI guesses winners before the event starts. It analyzes historical Black Friday data, search spikes, user patterns, and seasonal trends to stock right and avoid overstocking slow movers. Planning beats reacting every time.

Automated Ad Systems at Full Throttle

Google Performance Max, Meta Advantage, and Microsoft auto campaigns run the show. AI picks:

• Which items to highlight
• Who sees the ads
• Where money flows as the day goes by

Humans can’t keep up with that speed. Automation keeps ROAS steady while traffic explodes.

AI-Powered Personalization at Scale

Offers fit the person now. AI tweaks:

• How deep does the discount goes
• What products get suggested
• When emails or texts hit
• Messages right on the site

New visitors, big spenders, and bargain hunters all get their own path. It lifts sales without leaning harder on discounts.

Always-On Black Friday Ecosystem

AI wipes out the start-and-stop feel. Winning deals, audiences, and ads carry forward past the event. Black Friday becomes a major data collection point that powers smarter marketing through spring and summer.

Conclusion

Black Friday moved past being a holiday tradition. It’s a high-stakes performance window shaped by data, smart systems, and shopper behavior. Brands that crush it don’t scramble with last-minute cuts; they build machines that boost visibility, close sales, and keep customers coming back.

Do you wish to dominate the sales game this black friday sale? Hustle Marketers is your go-to Digital marketing and e-commerce PPC agency with hands-on experience in executing black friday marketing for businesses and delivering promising results. 

At Hustle Marketers, we watch it play out every year: Black Friday wins get set months earlier through sharp ads, clean feeds, retargeting, and automation. Whether you’re a startup chasing your first big break or a big brand locking in market control, our customized Black Friday marketing strategies pay off irrespective of your niche.

In a world of AI shopping and auto-running ads, brands that focus on Black Friday marketing don’t just sell more, they build speed that lasts the whole next year.