Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Black Friday

Next week, as soon as our pumpkin pie dishes have been cleared away from our Thanksgiving dinner table, our thoughts will inevitably turn to the holiday season ahead. Specifically, it will be time to start thinking about how to get the best holiday gifts for our loved ones without spending a fortune. Enter Black Friday- a truly American holiday with roots going back as far as the 1950s, the day after Thanksgiving is famous for being the biggest shopping day of the year! Stores slash prices with reckless abandon, each trying to outdo one another for the best deals in town. Eager consumers line up as soon as their Thanksgiving dinner is finished and wait in line overnight for the chance to score a big-ticket electronic item or hot toy of the year at a deep discount. In recent years, Black Friday has actually started on Thursday, as more and more retailers open their stores to the public on Thanksgiving night to begin the annual buying frenzy. But where did Black Friday come from? Here’s a little history behind modern capitalism’s favorite holiday, so you can impress your friends while you’re waiting in line at 4 AM for a 4K TV at 50 percent off!

Why is it called Black Friday?

You’d think a holiday where shoppers can save untold amounts of money on holiday gifts for their friends and families would have a slightly less morbid-sounding name. After all, “Black Friday” sounds so ominous, like something one would equate with a stock market crash or a dark day in history. Actually, the origin of the name “Black Friday” includes both of those things! The term “Black Friday” was originally used way back  in the 1800s, and did not have anything to do with holiday shopping at all- in fact, the original Black Friday, September 24, 1869, was the day the U.S. gold market crashed, sending the country into financial crisis.

In the 1950s, the term was used to describe the day after Thanksgiving by police officers in Philadelphia, when the annual Army-Navy football game held the Saturday after Thanksgiving would result in a flood of tourists and shoppers to the city. The police would have to work all day, taking no time off, in order to deal with the bedlam and chaos that ensued. By 1961, the Black Friday name had caught on in Philadelphia, with retailers cashing in on the phenomenon by marking down their merchandise considerably for one-day doorbuster sales. Though marketers tried unsuccessfully to change the name to “Big Friday,” so as to make it sound more consumer-friendly and upbeat, the name Black Friday had stuck, and everyone in Philadelphia more or less treated it as a city holiday to kick off the Christmas season.

Black Friday as a concept didn’t spread to the rest of the country until about 1985, which is when retailers came up with the “official” origin of the term- since the day after Thanksgiving is one of the biggest shopping days of the year, it is a chance for stores to get “out of the red and into the black,” meaning that they can turn a profit even if sales have been slow for the year. Since the re-branding of Black Friday took place in the 80s, a decade known for its rampant consumerism, shoppers took to the new spin on the old holiday and used it as an excuse to boost the economy while enjoying tremendous savings. (In reality, the Saturday before Christmas is officially the biggest day of the year for retail sales, but it doesn’t have quite the notoriety that Black Friday does, thanks to the magic of marketing.)

Black Friday has gone on to spawn several other “shopping holidays” based on its popularity, including “Cyber Monday” (the Monday following Thanksgiving where online marketplaces slash their prices for unbelievable deals) as well as “Small Business Saturday/Sunday” (the weekend after Thanksgiving dedicated to supporting local businesses). Like it or not, Black Friday is truly an American tradition, and will be part of our holiday rituals for years to come.

In the market for incredible Black Friday deals on all your favorite brands of appliances? Want to give yourself the gift of a good night’s sleep every night with a great new mattress? Check out the Black Friday savings at Appliance Factory & Mattress Kingdom!

Special thanks to history.com for research on this article.

Black Friday Myths for Retail Appliances

Here are a couple of myths that came up this year during Black Friday. Know these myths now before next year’s Black Friday, so that you can be prepared.

Myth: Black Friday sales begin on Thanksgiving Night or Black Friday

The truth is Black Friday deals start the 1^st week of November and run for the entire month. Many retailers like Appliance Factory & Mattress Kingdom offer a 30 to 60 day price match guarantee. This means we can shop with confidence knowing we will get the best price on any purchase decision we make. There is no need to camp out in line to get the best Black Friday Deals.

Delivery and installation have a finite availability. Demand during Black Friday pushes delivery and/or installation out weeks. If something does go wrong on our 1^st delivery, it can take weeks to get rescheduled. SHOP EARLY!

Myth: There is plenty of stock availability for sale products and Door Busters. 

The truth is demand nation-wide is high and supply is low. We have seen national back orders for appliances last months, if they ever come in at all. Door Busters are low priced items meant to create buzz and traffic. Usually, there are only a couple units per store. Untrained employees oversell and over promise leaving consumers holding the bag. Shop with retailers who have professional sales teams, who not only know the product, but also the availability.

Myth: Making an appliance purchase is easy

There is a huge selection of appliances in every category. There are different features, colors, sizes and applications. Appliances are complex and specialized. They are large, heavy products and come with each their own challenges for design and installation. It can be a long process selecting the right appliances we desire, meet our needs, will function and fit properly in our selected area and are installed properly. Products travel long distances and on many modes of transportation, sometimes creating damage. Other issues: appliances having alarming high dead on arrival issues. 3-6% off all appliances are dead on arrival. Between in box damage and DOA products, the reordering and redelivering can ruin last minute plans for the Holidays.

Pricing is confusing! There are so many deals and promotions that include buy more save more, manufacturer rebates, exclusive rebates, financing options, etc, working with a professional sales team can save us time, money and huge frustrations!

Keys to a successful appliance purchase during Black Friday

1. Don’t wait! Buy early! Deals are the same on November 5^th as they are on Black Friday.
2. Shop with retailers who have a 30 day or more price match policy so you are guaranteed the best price.
3. Shop with retailers who specialize in appliances and have a professional sales team who understands the product, your needs and product availability. They will better understand how to save you time, money and frustration. 

Can't wait until next Black Friday's great deals? That's okay, we have great deals going on all year round.

Really, What Is the Best Time of The Year To Buy Appliances?

You’ve been seeing the commercials; the ads in the magazines, your fridge just decided to give up, or you moved into a new home and the appliances are avocado green from the seventies. There are so many reasons why you may have started your appliance shopping journey, and one of the most important questions you’re asking yourself is “How?” and/or “Am I getting the best deal possible?”.  Chances are you’ve seen an ad from Home Depot, Lowes, and even us, Appliance Factory & Mattress Kingdom and every week there seems to be some special deal or sale going on; and you’re stuck questioning when to buy. Or even worse you’re forced to buy right now, and waiting is not an option. If you take a few moments to review these tips you’ll be more prepared no matter the time you buy.

Expert Tip: If you don’t take anything from this article outside of this one tip you’re going to be in great shape. No matter where you purchase, make sure the retailer has a price match guarantee. But wait; not all price match guarantees are created equal. Make sure your retailer doesn’t just price match the day of the purchase but for at least 30 days after the purchase.

Recap: If the retailer will not price match 30 days after the purchase, even against their prices: DO NOT BUY!

Now that we’ve discussed one extremely important item to appliance shopping in general, let’s talk about the best times of the year to buy appliances. Okay, let’s play a little game; take a few moments and think what the world and maybe even you thinks is the best time of the year to buy appliances? …Let me guess you said “Black Friday”? While Black Friday generally has some great deals, fun door busters, and lines around the corner; the best appliance deals are rarely during Black Friday; or even in the 4^th Quarter.

Okay, you’ve waited long enough; the best deals and the best time to buy appliances is over the 4^th of July holiday. However, don’t just focus on that one day; chances are most retailers will start their 4^th of July pricing weeks before. Yes, that means you don’t have to rush to shop for appliances on one of the most fun family days of the year. Let’s make these numbers real so you can understand the discounts a little better.

At Appliance Factory & Mattress Kingdom we are known for the value we offer in our prices; our customers love to tell us how much money they’ve saved just by walking through our doors. We like when our customers save money, it makes us happy; and we know it’ll make you happy.

•   Everyday customers on average save 15% when shopping with us over the competition.
•   During the 4^th of July our customers have reported saving over 27% – 33% over the competition! WOW! (In comparison to Black Friday where our customers reported savings from 21% - 28% )

Now that that’s cleared up we can’t wait to see you in one of our 16 stores so we can learn more about your project and partner together to find the right appliances for your needs and wants. 

What is great about this year, is that Appliance Factory & Mattress Kingdom is extending some of their 4th of July sales for a few more months. What are you needing to buy?