Black Friday 2026

Black Friday is the biggest shopping event of the year, originating in the United States and now celebrated worldwide. Held the day after Thanksgiving, it marks the beginning of the holiday shopping season with massive discounts across all retail categories.

History & Origins

Black Friday originated in Philadelphia in the 1960s, when police coined the term to describe the chaotic crowds and traffic congestion that occurred the day after Thanksgiving as suburban shoppers and tourists flooded into the city ahead of the Army-Navy football game. Retailers later rebranded the term to signify the moment stores moved from operating at a loss ("in the red") to turning a profit ("in the black"). Over the decades, Black Friday evolved from a single day of in-store doorbuster deals into a multi-day shopping phenomenon. The event expanded globally in the 2010s, reaching the UK, Europe, Latin America, and parts of Asia. Online shopping further transformed it, with many retailers launching deals days or even weeks before the traditional Friday date.

Market Scale & Popularity

Black Friday is the most recognized shopping event worldwide, observed in over 60 countries. In the United States alone, over 215 million consumers shopped during the Black Friday weekend in 2025, according to the NRF. US online sales reached $10.8 billion on Black Friday 2025, a 7.5% year-over-year increase. In the UK, spending exceeded £13 billion across the Black Friday week. The event has become a cultural phenomenon, with shoppers camping outside stores and retailers offering deep discounts of 30-70% across electronics, fashion, and home goods.

Business Impact

Black Friday generates enormous revenue for retailers, often determining whether a store finishes the fiscal year profitably. In 2025, US consumers spent an estimated $42 billion across the entire Black Friday weekend (Friday through Cyber Monday). For many retailers, Black Friday alone can account for 10-20% of total holiday season revenue. Major chains like Walmart, Target, and Best Buy rely on the event to clear inventory and drive foot traffic, while e-commerce platforms see conversion rates spike 2-3x above normal levels during the period.

E-commerce Relevance

Black Friday has become a critical driver of online retail, with digital sales consistently breaking records year over year. In 2025, 78% of Black Friday shoppers made purchases online, surpassing in-store participation. E-commerce platforms leverage the event through flash sales, limited-time offers, and personalized email campaigns. Mobile commerce accounted for 62% of Black Friday online orders in 2025. Retailers invest heavily in site performance, CDN scaling, and checkout optimization to handle traffic surges that can reach 10x normal volumes during peak hours.