What is Black Friday? When is Black Friday 2024?

Question - What is Black Friday?
Answer - The Day After Thanksgiving (Friday) is known as Black Friday. This used to be unofficially or officially the start of holiday shopping season. Almost all stores come out with Doorbuster Sales with the early bird special to attract consumers to their shop. People stand in line hours before the stores are opened, to grab the bargains of the year. In last few years, we have witnessed a trend towards bringing those Black Friday Sales online before Friday.
Black Friday is no more a one-day event
In last few years (starting from 2013 to be precise), Black Friday Sales have started way before Friday-with some stores starting their Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving day & some even starting on Wednesday and Monday. It would not be surprising to see Black Friday sale starting on Monday on the Black Friday week. As a result, revenue-wise Black Friday is NOT the biggest day for stores. Biggest sales day now include Thanksgiving day and Cyber Monday.

Question - Why it is called Black Friday?
Answer - Closest reason as to why it is known as Black Friday is given in Wikipedia - "Many retailers report some of their highest profits on Black Friday. The black portion of the name, "Black Friday" relates to businesses recording their losses in red ink and gains in black. This tradition lives on in modern accounting software, hence the name.". The term Black Friday got traction with the Internet. Deals websites started to highlight "Black Friday sales" from 2003 and the retailers picked it up. Essentially, Black Friday is an Internet term. Prior to it, people used to refer the sales as 'Day after Thanksgiving Sale' or some variation of it.

Question - So When is Black Friday?
Answer - Friday, November 26th, 2021

Question - When do Retailers Officially Publish their Advertisements?
Answer - Most ads are published in the newspaper on Thanksgiving Day. (The day before Black Friday). But more recently, many stores are starting to publish their Black Friday Ad early in November or sometimes they leak it even in October. Some stores then have additional black Friday doorbuster items that they only reveal on their website.

Question - Are there black Friday sales online?
Answer - Most Black Friday Sales go online when their Black Friday store sales start. As we pointed out earlier that many stores offer their Black Friday Sale online - before Black Friday. However, Some in-store only Black Friday deals from few stores, may not be available online.

Question - When will you post the Black Friday Ads or Flyers
Answer - As soon as we learn about the advertisement or we receive the ad, we will post it. Please check back often to see when you may expect to see an ad from your favorite stores.

Question - Are Banks Closed On Thanksgiving?
Answer - Yes, Thanksgiving Day is a Federal Holiday in the USA. Because of this, most banks are closed on Thanksgiving Day.

Question - Are Banks Open on Black Friday?
Answer - Yes, Black Friday is NOT a Federal Holiday in the USA. Most banks are open on Black Friday. Though Black Friday is an unofficial shopping holiday, some financial institutions might be closed on Black Friday to allow their employees a long weekend off.

Tips for Black Friday Shopping

- Visit https://www.theblackfriday.com every day. Black Friday deals or similar may be available before Black Friday itself.

- Check store maps. Stores like WalMart release their store map clearly describing where you can find items you are looking for. Since the stores are so big, lines are huge and quantities of most desired items are limited, you may want to go prepared so you can get what you are looking for.  [See Black Friday Store Maps - Walmart]

- Call your local store to find out when they will start giving tickets, and where (which gate) should they stand in line. Usually, people stand well in advance of store opening hours. Since doorbuster items are in limited quantities, they distribute tickets to those who are ahead in line. For example, if a store has 20 TVs for $249, stores employees will give tickets to first 20 people. If you get the ticket, you can go to the counter, pay and get the item.

- Decide what you want in advance. You may NOT be able to cover all the stores and may not be able to get ALL the early bird Specials. So decide in advance what is the most important item that you absolutely need.

- Give preference to the big-ticket item as you will save more on those items. For example, you likely save few hundred dollars on an expensive TV of over thousand dollars than on a pair of shoes costing $20. While both may be available at very good prices but may be in two different stores, so you may only be able to get one (assuming both are doorbuster deals), and saving on the TV may be in a range of few hundred dollars while saving on shoe may be in under $50.
- If possible have a group of people, but everyone going to a different store. Each person going to any store may buy an item for everyone else in the group. Although for some doorbuster items, store offer one slip to person, so you may not be able to get more than one such item.

- Check Price Matching Policy of stores. Some stores offer price match so instead of standing in a queue you may just walk into a store with no or less queue and that offers a price match. (And yes, make sure that they have item in stock). Price Matching is always a tricky situation. Some stores may be kind enough to honor their words while other may NOT be. Some employee's and Managers are also reluctant to offer a price match.

- Buy in advance and get the price adjusted on Black Friday day. Again, Some store may or may not adjust the price. You may try return and re-purchase at Black Friday price on Black Friday. Again, some store may refuse to sell it back, stating that item has to go in first.

- Buy Only what you need. Many stores are strict on restocking fee which may range from 5-15%.This usually applies to big-ticket electronics & tech items.

- PARK SMART. Park in the parking lot of nearby another place where there is no sale. Walk to store. This way, you won't get stuck in a BIG queue of people coming in and out to the main store. - Get Dressed for winter Especially if you are in East coast or North. You don't want to catch a cold or get Sick while bargain hunting. It will kill the deal :)

- Shop Online. These day's most Black Friday items are available online as well. This is one of the best and most frequently updated website on the web so you are sure to get all bargains there. With rising gas prices, sinking temperatures (harsh winter) and many online deals with Free Shipping Offers, Online Shopping is gaining ground.

- If you miss the deal, No problem! You are likely to see black Friday like deals throughout the year.