Black Friday Facts and Statistics for 2024
Last Updated on: January 8th, 2024
Here are a few of the most interesting Black Friday facts and statistics I was able to dig up in my internet travels. As always, be sure to check back in the future as I will be updating this post as new and updated stats become available.
Photo by sean_hickin
Black Friday is a shopping event that takes place on the day after Thanksgiving, which is the fourth Thursday in November in the United States. It is a day when retailers offer significant discounts and promotions, and it is widely considered the start of the holiday shopping season.
The origin of the term “Black Friday” is unclear, but it is thought to have originated in the 1960s in Philadelphia, where it was used to describe the heavy traffic and chaos that occurred on the day after Thanksgiving as shoppers flocked to the stores. The term eventually came to refer to the day when retailers’ financial records shifted from being “in the red” (indicating losses) to “in the black” (indicating profits).
The tradition of offering discounts on the day after Thanksgiving became more widespread in the 1980s, and it has since grown into a major shopping event, with retailers offering deep discounts and opening their stores early to attract shoppers. In recent years, Black Friday has also expanded to include online shopping, with many retailers offering the same discounts and promotions online as in their physical stores.
While Black Friday is a popular shopping event, it has also been criticized for promoting consumerism and encouraging excessive spending. In response, some retailers have started to offer alternative events, such as “Buy Nothing Day,” which encourages people to avoid shopping on Black Friday and instead focus on more meaningful activities.
Black Friday History
- Year Black Friday began: 1961 (reportedly), 2005 (more officially)
- Date of Black Friday 2023: November 24
- Year retailers first opened at midnight for Black Friday: 2011
- Year retailers began starting Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving: 2012
Black Friday Facts and Stats
Increase in store foot traffic on Black Friday from a typical November day:
In-store traffic actually peaks at 4pm on Black Friday, not early in the morning.
Percentage of Black Friday shopping searches that take place before the stores open:
Percentage of US internet users that would shop digitally at the Thanksgiving table to “get an amazing deal”:
Estimated amount consumers will spend during Thanksgiving weekend 2021:
Average amount shoppers are expected to spend during Thanksgiving weekend 2021:
Total amount spent on Black Friday 2018:
Percentage of Black Friday 2018 sales that came from a smartphone:
Total smartphone sales on Black Friday 2018:
Number of new Amazon app users on Black Friday 2018:
Number of new Walmart app users on Black Friday 2018:
Number of new Target app users on Black Friday 2018:
Number of new Best Buy app users on Black Friday 2018:
Amount spent in online purchases on Black Friday 2016:
US App Store revenue on Black Friday 2018:
Amount spent in online purchases made via a mobile device on Black Friday 2016:
Percentage of Black Friday purchases in 2016 that were made using mobile payments:
Percentage of shoppers that admit to being drunk while shopping on Thanksgiving night/Black Friday:
Percentage of consumers that think stores should stay closed on Thanksgiving Day:
Percentage of Black Friday shoppers that plan on shopping between midnight and 3am:
Average amount of time that Americans spend shopping for Christmas presents each year:
Percentage of Americans that admit they might not like the gift they receive:
Earliest known use of the term “Black Friday” to refer to the shopping day after Thanksgiving:
Number of Americans that shopped on Black Friday in 2013:
Number of people that shopped in the US on Black Friday weekend in 2017:
Amount spent on Black Friday in 2013:
Percentage of Black Friday shoppers that would be willing to pay someone to stand in line for them:
Year that Black Friday finally eclipsed Christmas Eve as the biggest U.S. shopping day:
Please note that some of these numbers are easier to find than others. Most of these fun facts come from internet reports and may not be official tallies. No information contained on DMR should be relied upon to make investment decisions. Basically, this is the best I can find and I don’t guarantee anything to be 100%.
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