And where does it come from?
Thanksgiving
So yesterday was Thanksgiving. The US Holiday of Turkey and…well, giving! That means across the Western world it’s a chaotic and delightful world for retail and shoppers!
Black Friday
Black Friday is a little bit like the UK Boxing Day sales, after the US Thanksgiving. Retailers in November will slash their prices – sometimes almost giving stock away just in time for Christmas!
The main teasers are:
- Games consoles – Xbox One S, Playstation VR, PS4 Pro, Nintendo Switch
- Appliances – Coffee machines, washing machines, dishwashers
- Home gym equipment – Cross trainer, rowing machines, treadmills
Some retailers are offering these at less than half RRP!
Why is it called Black Friday?
In 1961 ‘Black Friday’ was coined in America by bus drivers, taxi drivers and other road users. It was a negative spin on the crazy free-for-all style of the shopping day referring to the roads in two ways.
- Firstly, because there was such heavy traffic due to the high number of shoppers.
- Secondly there were lots of black-tyre marks on the roads due to business and dangerous driving caused by the American holiday.
Later on in 1975 retailers grabbed the term ‘Black Friday’ as in the third expression
- Accountants would use the term ‘in the black’ to describe a profitable turnover, since they used to write their negative money in red in.
Many retailers rely on Christmas shopping for their yearly profitable turnover.
Cyber Monday
Cyber Monday is where the sales move online. Goods and services that weren’t sold during Black Friday week continue online at sometimes even further reductions until the stock is gone!
Cyber Monday is a less well known, but good trick up your sleeve if you want to participate in the sales but want to avoid queuing.
Giving Tuesday
Giving Tuesday is a relatively new phenomenon in the charity world, since 2012. The idea behind it is that people will use the money they saved during Black Friday and Cyber Monday to donate to philanthropic causes and help people in need. A heart-warming sentiment to a manic week in retail!
If you would like to find out how Sheridan give to Philanthropic causes our most recent venture is our Christmas Jumper Day – this is something that could involve you too!