What is Black Friday?

Yes, it has something to do with Thanksgiving Day. Read this before you shop till you drop at Black Friday Sale.

Black Friday is one day after Thanksgiving

In the states, Thanksgiving is a public holiday, on the fourth Thursday of November. Many employers give their employees the next day (Friday) off as part of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. That makes Thanksgiving the first day of the last major holiday before Christmas and marks the unofficial beginning of the Christmas shopping season.

What is it called Black Friday then?

“Black Friday” was originally referred to financial crisis: On 24 September 1869, there was a crash of the US gold market. Two Wall Street financiers, Jay and Jim, worked together to buy up as much as they could of gold, trying to drive the price extremely high and then sell it for great profits. The conspiracy unravelled that Friday, causing the stock market to fall drastically and bankrupting everyone from Wall Street.

The most commonly repeated story behind the post-Thanksgiving shopping-related Black Friday tradition links it to retailers. As the story goes, after an entire year of operating at a loss (“in the red”) stores would supposedly earn a profit (“went into the black”) on the day after Thanksgiving, because holiday shoppers blew so much money on discounted merchandise. Though it’s true 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 officially sanctioned—but inaccurate—story behind the tradition.

Should you shop? Will you shop?

With the retailers marking down their prices, and if you have a long list of Christmas gifts to buy, this is a good time to get good bargains. If you are willing to tough it out at the crowds. Shopping online is also an alternative.

List of Black Friday Sale 2019 in Singapore

1. Robinson - Up to 90% off

2. BHG – Up to 70%

3. Bath and Body Works – Buy 3 get 3 Free

4. Llao llao – 1 for 1

5. Tangs – 12% rebate

6. eClarity Diamonds @ Ngee Ann City – 50% Storewide

To enquire: text 98331220 or visit eClarity.com.sg

7. Sephora – 15% off storewide

List of Black Friday Online Sale 2019 in Singapore

1. BA.sg – Best prices of GIA Diamonds, Guaranteed with Price match

2. Shopee – Black Friday and 12.12 sale – free shipping + 10% cash back

3. Lazada – Black Friday Sale

4. Zalora – Friyay25

5. MDS – 50% off

Have a great post-Thanksgiving shopping day and wishing you lots of love in this coming holiday season!