The Rise of the Global Sales Phenomenon: Black Friday

We are at the eve of one of the greatest shopping day of the whole year. I believe some rings already rung on your mind. Yes, we are talking about that magnificent day, aka Black Friday.

Black Friday is the first Friday of the week which comes after U.S. Thanksgiving holiday, but as a citizen of the world, we grasp that day’s meaning differently. In brief, we see it as a day full of discounts and special shopping deals. Moreover, given the fact that December is filled with holidays, Black Friday could stand for the beginning of the holiday shopping season. This can be mentioned confidentially that this very season plays a crucial role for not just the economy of the country, but the whole world. The ascending interest for Black Friday is plain as a day.

Just like 2020, this year as well, coronavirus pandemic loomed over the annual shopping event. For those who think Black Friday is a tradition, restrictions became a quite vexing problem. However, when it comes to discounts who can stop the shopaholics? eCommerce sales reach its climax when many retailers put their Black Friday deals and discounts online.

Enough with shooting the breeze, let’s dive into the serious stuff. Why this day play a tremendous role in the economy and how social media effect to the efficiency of Black Friday.

The Creation and Evolvement of Black Friday

There are two occasions where the term Black Friday has been used and surprisingly they have a little connection whatsoever. First one’s history goes back to 1869, when financier Jay Gould and railway magnate James Fisk attempt to put gold market through the hoops to hike the prices. However, that plan backfired and in September 24, pass into the history as the date of financial panic. These implacable Wall Street financiers’ conspiracy unraveled on Friday and that event resulted with bankrupting everyone, from cashed up barons to penurious farmers.

Right now most commonly used Black Friday term is refer to the day after Thanksgiving, which is often considered the first day of the holiday shopping season and is known for featuring discounts from retailers. However, why choose the black color to express a quite jolly day, and is there any specific reason hides behind the selection of Friday out of all week?

The thing is retailers are the ones who kind of formed that tradition. During the year, retailers were marking their loss with red color, and black, on the other hand, was symbolized the profit they made. Moreover, supposedly on the day after Thanksgiving sales would go into the black , because holiday shoppers spent so much money on discounted products. We don’t know for a fact that retail companies used to record losses in red and profits in black when doing their accounting, this version of Black Friday’s origin is the closest version we have to the truth.

First Things First, Change

Social media plays an irreplaceable role to drive the traffic towards online shopping. Coronavirus pandemic changed the whole worlds approach towards their traditional behaviors. That has been said that, this year 62% of the customers keep themselves away from entering to the actual store on Black Friday. This a good sign, at least we can be happy that people have the awareness to protect themselves, yet is it interfere with the astounding success of Black Friday? Certainly, not, because eCommerce fill in for the physical loss.

If you want to drive referrals to eCommerce sites you need to know which one could be more beneficial for your business. Although Facebook leads the queue, Instagram and Pinterest are the ones which are the most context-specific influential social media platforms.

Here comes one more necessary detail: If your focus is young audience, more specifically, Gen Z TikTok will be the gateway towards your aim. Snapchat and Twitter can seem left behind, but when you are roll up your sleeves to prepare your social media plan for Black Friday bear them in your mind too.

Everything Changes if One Thing Changes

At least once in our life all of us have seen a footage where people are literally marching into the stores at the crack of dawn. Pushing and pulling, fighting over an item or walking all over the things which stands on your way. Seems familiar for many of us, yet that is not the worst part at all. The destruction that these so called customers leaves behind evoke the scenery from post-apocalyptic movies for salespeople.

Fortunately, more and more, consumers are choosing to shop online. When we pause a little and think who would want to wait outside for hours or have an actual fight over the last most-cherished item? These all were happening years ago, but the coronavirus pandemic pushed shoppers online more than ever in 2020.

Tomorrow will be the biggest Black Friday ever for eCommerce sellers. Thereby don’t let anything hold you back or stir your vision. Try to make the most of it with social media, email marketing and advertising. Engage with your audience and stay true to your brand, success will come to you when you take the law in your own hand.

AboutRumiya Mammadova

Rumiya is a dedicated and compassionate content writer who specializes in the field of digital marketing. She's committed to her job and wants to be part of a challenging working environment.