The United States is renowned for its Cyber Monday and Black Friday traditions. Each year, newsreel rolls include stories about the monstrous people who ravage Wal-Marts. Macy’s There are a lot of department stores across the country. Images and videos showing people fighting for Barbie Dolls are all over the internet. Why do people rush to departmental stores after declaring their gratitude?
Cyber Monday is a relatively new phenomenon that was created many years after Black Thursday in America. Black Friday was given a digital twist by marketers in 2012 thanks to the help of online retailers. Online retailers made Black Friday a digital event. People didn’t have to fight through crowds for holiday shopping. They could shop from the comfort of their homes.
How did this all begin? How did Black Friday and Cyber Monday become what they are today? The stories are old, some going back to the 1800s. Over the years, wild stories have been shared about the origins and evolution of this spectacle. While some stories are true, others are totally false. Each story has contributed to our current perception of Black Friday. But only one of these is the true origin. We will dispel the myths and reveal the true history of Cyber Monday, and Black Friday.
Black Friday Myths
Black Friday wasn’t originally an excuse to shop on Fridays after Thanksgiving. September 24, 1869, saw the stock market crash. Common goods prices fell by 20% and gold prices plummeted by 60%. This crash was caused by two thieves. Wall Street Jay Gould (a financier) and James Fisk (a criminal) were among the two people who bought as much as possible in gold and then sold it at unbelievable prices. The plot was discovered Friday and the market crashed.
Understanding the origin of Black Friday is crucial in order to identify the inspiration behind this day of massive sales. Legends tell us that Black Friday has a dark history. Legend has it that Black Friday was first celebrated in the slave era of American history. It is also known as “Black Friday”, which was the day after Thanksgiving when all slaves were half-off. The idea spread to other department stores, and today we know Black Friday. However, this version of the story is false.
The common thread of all narratives is the retailer, and it’s probably the one you have heard the most about. According to the story, retailers saw Thanksgiving Day as a chance to increase their sales. After a year of low sales, retailers saw this as an opportunity to offer steep discounts in the hopes of attracting large-spending clients. This story may not be the true reason for Black Friday but it did create the possibility for a day full of shopping.
The Truth about Black Friday
Imagine Philadelphia in the 1950s. It’s bustling with people. This crowd is not your typical crowd. They all came to this spot in anticipation of the Army-Navy Football Match, which takes place every year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Authorities started calling this day “Black Friday” because of the chaos caused by the large number of people who visit the city every year. Shoplifting was rampant Friday which caused retail workers to work longer hours in order to serve the large crowds. This resulted in a significant increase in sales at Philadelphia’s department shops and restaurants.
There will be more opportunities in the future. Philadelphia officials decided to change the name of the event to “Big Friday” to avoid negative connotations like “Black Friday”. They didn’t realize the name was already a standard. In the late 1980s, the term was adopted across the country. It was combined with the belief that Thanksgiving day saw increased sales. This made the day a shopping paradise and was a great success.
Since its inception, Black Friday has been a fixture in America. Retailers constantly look for new ways of attracting customers to increase their sales. Many retail holidays, such as Small Business Saturday, were inspired by Black Friday’s popularity.
Cyber Monday
Cyber Monday is Black Friday digitalized. This is believed to reflect the trend of digitizing almost all real-world experiences. Cyber Monday was developed by a group of online marketing agencies in response to Black Friday’s increasing popularity. Every Monday after Thanksgiving, amazing deals are posted. In recent years, companies have reported earnings as high as doubling on Mondays after Thanksgiving. Adobe Analytics reports that more than 50% of Thanksgiving weekend purchases were made using a mobile device.
Although Cyber Monday wasn’t a huge success initially, it has since become a very popular day for online shopping. Cyber Monday is a way for shoppers to shop online without having to go out and get up at odd hours. They can also finish holiday shopping while relaxing with a refreshing beverage.
With more brick-and-mortar stores closing, online shopping is taking over the globe. Cyber Monday will be a day consumers will love because of the ease and convenience they enjoy when shopping online.
