What year did Black Friday come out? This question has intrigued many shoppers and historians alike, as Black Friday has become a significant part of the holiday shopping season in the United States. To understand the origins of this shopping phenomenon, we must delve into its history and explore how it has evolved over the years. In this article, we will uncover the year Black Friday was born and shed light on its transformation into the shopping event we know today.
Black Friday’s origins can be traced back to the early 20th century. The term itself has various interpretations, with some historians believing it originated from the stock market crash of 1869, known as “Black Friday.” However, the more widely accepted theory is that the term was first used in Philadelphia in the 1960s to describe the heavy traffic and chaotic atmosphere on the day after Thanksgiving. This chaos was caused by the large number of shoppers flooding the city to take advantage of the post-holiday sales.
The first recorded occurrence of Black Friday as a shopping event can be traced back to 1951 in the city of Philadelphia. At that time, the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce used the term to encourage shoppers to visit the city’s department stores. They hoped to turn the negative connotation of the term into a positive one, symbolizing the beginning of the holiday shopping season.
In the 1970s, the term began to spread beyond Philadelphia and gained national attention. It was during this time that retailers started to embrace the concept and promote Black Friday sales to attract customers. The year 1975 marked a significant turning point for Black Friday when the term became more widely recognized and the shopping event gained momentum.
As the years went by, Black Friday continued to grow in popularity, with retailers offering more attractive deals and promotions. The year 1995 saw the rise of online shopping, which further contributed to the expansion of Black Friday. With the advent of e-commerce, shoppers could now take advantage of deals from the comfort of their homes, leading to an increase in online sales.
In the 21st century, Black Friday has become a global phenomenon, with countries outside the United States also embracing the shopping event. The year 2012 saw Black Friday become the biggest online shopping day in history, with record-breaking sales figures. This was a testament to the power of Black Friday as a shopping event and its ability to drive consumer spending.
In conclusion, the answer to the question “What year did Black Friday come out?” is 1951, when it was first used in Philadelphia. However, the concept of Black Friday as a shopping event has evolved significantly since then, becoming a staple of the holiday shopping season in the United States and beyond. With the continued growth of e-commerce and the increasing importance of online sales, Black Friday is expected to remain a significant shopping event for years to come.
