what is black friday? history, dark moments and tips

there are a number of theories about the origin of black friday, some of them more recent and some of them older. the first is linked to a financial panic caused when investors jay gould and jim fisk decided to buy large quantities of gold to drive up prices and then make incredible profits when they sold. the conspiracy was exposed and the market went into free fall, causing many bankruptcies, on a friday, september 24, 1869.

in the 50s and 60s, the term was used by philadelphia police officers to describe the chaos that ensued the day after thanksgiving. when large crowds descended on the city to watch the annual army-navy game. shopkeepers took advantage of the situation to fill their windows with merchandise and boost business, but the combination of events created a major headache for security forces.

around 1961, an attempt was made to change the name to "big friday" to avoid the negative connotations, but the name didn't catch on. later, in the 1980s, traders began to use the phrase, associating it with the idea that stores that were "red" (making a loss) had the opportunity to reverse the situation by going "black" (making a profit).

this is the meaning we give it today, a concept that has spread all over the world and also spread over time, many brands choose to have a weekend of promotions and some even give a bonus with cyber monday.

while this day is a great opportunity for consumers to buy the products they want and for retailers to make a profit, unfortunately, it is also marked by exaggeration and even terrible misfortune. between 2006 and 2018, there have been 11 deaths and 109 injuries related to shopping. endless queues, unbridled and ill-considered purchases, and acts of violence are all unfortunate consequences of an uncontrollable consumerist thirst.

to avoid confusion or scams, the ideal is to be vigilant, because not all deals are good deals. so here are a few tips:

1. create an account with your favorite sites.
2. follow your favorite brands on social media to keep up with their promotions.
3. sign up for newsletters or pre-promotion alerts.
4. make a small list of your favorite and/or needed items and their average prices.
5. create a wish list.
6. compare prices before and after the sale.
7. set a budget on your credit card.

happy shopping!

cláudia cavaleiro the editor in chief for CINCO editorial. born in '82 in coimbra, she is graduated in philosophy from the university of coimbra. passionate about books and podcasts in a geek kind of way, she always find something interesting to research. loves to bring awareness to social problems and loves working at CINCO!