Once again, every savvy holiday shopper’s favorite time of year is upon us. The massive sales events, Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM), also known as Cyber Week, will be back in action soon. Last year in 2023, the National Retail Foundation (NRF) tracked that 200.4M consumers shopped between this five-day holiday weekend.
But before we dive into this year’s madness, and gear up for our Cutter & Buck’s exclusive deals, we wanted to take a look back on how this holiday came to be, and how it’s thankfully evolved and expanded.
What is the history of Black Friday?
While the current term is interchangeable with massive deals, this day has a not-so-fun history.
According to The History Channel, this phrase was once directly tied to a catastrophic financial crisis, specifically the crash of the national gold market in 1869. This was caused by two Wall Street financiers, Jay Gould and Jim Fisk, who were aiming to buy as much gold as possible, and then sell it for a high return on profits.
On Friday, September 24th that year, their plan was revealed, sending the stock market in a downward spiral, bankrupting individuals of all income backgrounds.
Not ideal right? It gets worse. Aside from this terrible day, the phrase came up once again in the 1950s, where police in Philadelphia used the term to describe the shopping insanity that plagued the city the day after Thanksgiving, causing traffic, crowds, and an uptick in shoplifting.
When did Black Friday start?
Flash forward to the 1980s and retailers decided to capitalize on this phrase and give the shopping frenzy a fresh, more positive meaning. They decided to lean into the technical sales term of “red to black,” referring to turning losses into profit.
Since then, the rebrand was a success, and the darker history has been largely forgotten. Now, it’s a massive sales event, starting earlier each year, both for in-person stores and online platforms.
What is the history of Cyber Monday?
While Black Friday sales were typically limited to brick-and-mortar locations, the birth of internet shopping changed the game. And truthfully, made it more manageable for folks who don’t want to be caught in a sea of crowds.
As reported by NBC News, the giant e-commerce retailers of today including Amazon, eBay and Walmart began popping up their online stores in the 1990s and early 2000’s. With these new digital doors opening, retailers wanted the same revenue boost that companies with physical locations got. And so Cyber Monday was born.
When did Cyber Monday begin?
The official kickoff to Cyber Monday was 2005, as noted by the National Retail Foundation. Since then, sales have taken off with more retailers opening e-commerce stores. And let’s not forget that shopping is now in the palm of our hands, with Shopify reporting that mobile commerce, or m-commerce, is expected to hit $710.4B by 2025.
And we can’t forget about social media, which is continuing to be the driving force behind sales with the rise of TikTok Shop.
Does Cyber Monday have better sales than Black Friday?
This is a great question, and every retailer will be different. Some may offer exclusive deals for in-person shoppers on Black Friday, while others may offer exclusive ecommerce deals on Cyber Monday. While we can’t reveal much just yet, we’re excited to offer incredible sales on both days.
An interesting trend is that Black Friday has been the most popular day for online shopping since 2019 according to the National Retail Foundation. This past year, 90.6M shoppers shopped online on Black Friday, while 73M shopped online for Cyber Monday. There could be a variety of reasons for this, perhaps because shoppers want to get their items before they might go out of stock, or want them to ship earlier.
What are some tips for navigating BFCM?
Let’s get to it. To prepare for the biggest deals of the season, you have to be smart with your strategy. Here are three tips we stand by.
1. Set a Budget
Seems obvious, but keep in mind your finances so you can make the most out of your wallet. Ideally, you want to ensure that you’ve allocated enough funds for your loved ones, coworkers, friends, and yourself – because you deserve a gift too!
2. Make a Wish List
Once you have everyone marked down who you’ll be shopping for, map out what they might like. Our team pulled together a few custom Cutter & Buck gift guides if you need some inspiration. For instance, we have a section dedicated to gifts under $100, like a comfortable and breathable men’s pullover, or a lightweight and warm women’s jacket.
3. Stay Alert
This one may be the most important. As mentioned, BFCM deals are starting to pop up earlier and earlier each year, so you should plan your purchases ahead of time. A great way to stay updated is following your favorite brands on social media, and subscribing to their email and SMS lists so you get first dibs on deals.
If you’re a Cutter & Buck fan, we highly recommend signing up at the bottom of our website because while we don’t want to spoil the surprise, our BFCM deals will be worth the wait.
Preparing for BFCM, and The Holiday Season
We hope this builds exciting anticipation for all the BFCM sales you can look forward to, and eases some anxiety on crossing off your shopping list. Now while Cyber Week will pass by quickly, we will be hosting great sales all season long if there’s something you’ve missed. Start by exploring our favorite gifting categories, like our official fan apparel shop, stunning women’s new arrivals, or sustainable men’s clothing.
Either way, have a successful—stress-free—shopping experience!
