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The Agile Daily Standup - AgileDad

The History Behind Black Friday

Nov 29, 2024
Discover the surprising origins of Black Friday, which started with financial turmoil in the 1860s. Learn how police officers in Philadelphia coined the term during a bustling post-Thanksgiving shopping frenzy. The 1980s saw a clever rebranding as retailers transformed it from a chaotic day to a profitable one. Uncover how the narrative shifted from chaos to discounts and deals and get tips on ensuring the legitimacy of those enticing prices through tracking tools.
04:32

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • The term 'Black Friday' evolved from its negative historical roots linked to financial turmoil to a celebrated retail event symbolizing profitability.
  • The transformation of Black Friday highlights the changing dynamics of consumerism, emphasizing both the allure of discounts and the pressures on retail workers.

Deep dives

The Origins of Black Friday

The history of Black Friday reveals its surprising evolution from a term associated with financial turmoil to a celebrated shopping event. Initially, in the 1860s, the term was linked to a market crash due to two financiers attempting to manipulate the gold market, which led to widespread economic panic. The modern concept began in the 1950s when police in Philadelphia coined the term to describe the chaos following Thanksgiving, marked by heavy shopping traffic and increased crime. Retailers transformed the term in the 1980s, reframing Black Friday as a positive milestone representing the shift from operating at a loss to achieving profitability, a narrative that resonated widely with consumers and businesses alike.

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