Black Friday 2026: Date, History, Smart Shopping Tips and Facts

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving in the United States and the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season. Stores and websites offer big discounts, and the event is now popular in the UK, Canada, Australia, India and many other countries.

Why Is It Called Black Friday?

In the 1950s and 1960s, police in Philadelphia used the name “Black Friday” to describe the heavy traffic and huge crowds on the day after Thanksgiving. Later, retailers promoted a more positive story: the day when shops moved from losses (“in the red”) to profits (“in the black”).

The Shopping Weekend at a Glance

Day	Name	What happens
Thursday	Thanksgiving	Family holiday in the US; many deals start online
Friday	Black Friday	Biggest in-store and online discounts
Saturday	Small Business Saturday	Support local shops
Monday	Cyber Monday	Online deals, especially electronics
Tuesday	Giving Tuesday	A global day of giving to charity

👉 Also read: Thanksgiving Day in the USA and Canada

How Black Friday Spread Around the World

Online stores made it easy for shoppers outside the US to join in. Today the UK, Canada, Australia, Brazil, India, South Africa and parts of Europe all have Black Friday sales, often running for a whole week or even the full month of November.

10 Smart Black Friday Shopping Tips

1. Make a list and a budget before the sales begin.
2. Track prices for a few weeks so you know a real deal.
3. Use price-history tools and compare several stores.
4. Check the return policy and warranty.
5. Watch out for fake websites and deals that look too good to be true.
6. Only shop on secure sites (look for “https”).
7. Use a credit card or trusted payment service for extra protection.
8. Sign up for store newsletters for early access.
9. Do not rush — many deals return on Cyber Monday.
10. Remember shipping costs and delivery times.

Black Friday Facts

• In the US, Black Friday is not a federal holiday, but many people take the day off.
• It is often one of the busiest shopping days of the year.
• Some brands choose to close on Black Friday and encourage people to spend time outdoors instead.
• “Buy Nothing Day” is held on the same day as a protest against overconsumption.

Funny Black Friday Messages

• Happy Black Friday! May your cart be full and your wallet survive.
• I’m not shopping, I’m “saving money” — Happy Black Friday!
• Wishing you great deals, short queues and fast delivery.

Black Friday Through the Decades

Era	What changed
1950s–1960s	Philadelphia police use “Black Friday” for the chaotic day after Thanksgiving
1980s	Retailers adopt the name nationwide with the “in the black” explanation
2000s	Stores open earlier — some at midnight — with limited “doorbuster” deals
2005	Cyber Monday is named, splitting the weekend between stores and online
2010s	Black Friday spreads to the UK, Europe, Latin America and Asia
2020 onward	Online shopping dominates, and sales stretch across the whole of November

What Sells Most on Black Friday

Category	Why shoppers wait for it
TVs and electronics	Some of the year’s deepest discounts
Smartphones and laptops	Bundles and trade-in offers
Toys and games	Early holiday gift shopping
Clothing and shoes	Store-wide percentage discounts
Home appliances	Large-ticket items with real savings

Buy Nothing Day: The Alternative

Since the 1990s, some people mark the same day as Buy Nothing Day, a protest against over-consumption. Supporters spend the day without shopping, repair old items or swap clothes instead. Whether you shop or not, the day is a good reminder to buy what you need and to think about the environmental cost of what we consume.

Frequently Asked Questions