Black Friday

                Black Friday is an annual shopping event that takes place on the Friday following Thanksgiving Day in the United States. It is considered to be the beginning of the Christmas shopping season and is characterized by retailers offering large discounts and promotions on a wide range of products.

• The origin of the term "Black Friday" is not entirely clear, but one popular theory is that it refers to the practice of retailers recording their losses in red ink and profits in black ink.

• The day after Thanksgiving was traditionally one of the biggest shopping days of the year, and it was said that retailers would finally move from the red into the black on this day. Black Friday has become a global phenomenon, with retailers in many countries offering discounts and promotions on this day. 

• In recent years, the popularity of online shopping has led to the rise of Cyber Monday, which takes place on the Monday following Black Friday and offers similar discounts and promotions but exclusively online November 24 friday.

        Here are some interesting facts about Black Friday:

•    The term "Black Friday" was first used in the 1960s in Philadelphia to describe the heavy and disruptive pedestrian and vehicle traffic that would occur on the day after Thanksgiving.

•  The first recorded use of the term "Black Friday" to refer to the shopping event was in 1961, when a newspaper in Pennsylvania used it to describe the crowds and traffic that descended upon retailers on that day.

• In recent years, Black Friday has become the busiest shopping day of the year in the United States, with billions of dollars in sales. In 2019, Black Friday generated $7.4 billion in online sales in the US alone, making it the second-largest online shopping day in US history.

• The most popular items purchased on Black Friday include electronics, clothing, and toys.The busiest shopping times on Black Friday are typically between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm, with some retailers opening as early as midnight.

• In recent years, some retailers have begun to extend their Black Friday sales beyond a single day, with some starting promotions as early as Thanksgiving Day and continuing through the weekend.

• While Black Friday is primarily a US event, it has also gained popularity in other countries such as Canada, the UK, and Australia.

Timing and Duration : Black Friday has become a significant and rapidly growing shopping event in India, with major online and offline retailers offering substantial discounts across various product categories. The sales typically last for an extended period, often running for a week or more and blending into Cyber Monday.

Participating Retailers and Sale Dates (2025)

Major Indian e-commerce platforms and physical retailers widely participate in Black Friday sales, often starting their promotions in late November and running through early December.

• Amazon India: The sale ran from November 28 to December 1, 2025, with discounts up to 80% on electronics, fashion, and home essentials.
• Flipkart: The Black Friday Sale ran from November 23 to November 28, offering deals on smartphones, laptops, TVs, and appliances.
• Myntra: The event began on November 26 and continued through November 30, with 50-80% off fashion and beauty products.
• Nykaa: The "Pink Friday" sale, their equivalent event, ran from November 21 to November 30, offering up to 80% off beauty and personal care products.
• Croma: The retailer's "Darkest Black Friday Sale" started on November 22 and ran until November 30, with up to 60% off electronics in-store and online.
• Reliance Digital: Offers were live from November 28 to December 1, with deals on a wide range of electronics and home appliances, including specific bank offers.
• Other brands: Many global fashion and lifestyle brands like Zara, H&M, Adidas, Puma, and Decathlon also host Black Friday specific sales with significant discounts.
• Typical Deals and Discounts
  Shoppers can expect a wide array of discounts across numerous categories. 
  • Fashion and Beauty: Apparel, footwear, and accessories often see discounts of 50% to 80%. The beauty and personal care categories have seen substantial growth during this sale period.
  • Bank Offers: In addition to direct price reductions, retailers partner with banks (like Axis Bank, HDFC, ICICI, Kotak) to offer extra savings through instant discounts or cashback on credit/debit card transactions.
  • Electronics: Significant price cuts are common on smartphones (Apple iPhones, Samsung Galaxy, OnePlus), laptops (Dell, HP, Apple), televisions, and home appliances.