5 Surprising Black Friday Shopping Facts

The biggest shopping holiday in America is right around the corner: Black Friday! For many Americans, Black Friday is an opportunity to save money on gifts for the holidays. For others, it’s a day to stay home to avoid frantic shoppers and long lines. 

There’s an interesting story behind Black Friday’s origin and meaning. Though the term was initially coined to refer to market crashes, in the 1950s, policemen in Philadelphia began to use the term to describe the bedlam of the day after Thanksgiving, when suburbanites and shoppers would converge in the city on Friday to see the Army-Navy football game the next day. The cops couldn’t take the day off and called it “Black Friday” as a result. (Some people also used the overworked law enforcement as an opportunity to shoplift.) 

So, how did Black Friday shopping start? That’s another one of the Black Friday fun facts: Around the mid-1980s, retailers started offering shopping discounts that day, and the meaning of the name shifted more toward how we use it now: to describe a day on which stores offer steep discounts on products ahead of the holiday season. If you’re a business owner, you know Black Friday is a prime opportunity to attract holiday shoppers and increase sales.

There’s more to learn about Black Friday — some of which can be pretty useful! Here, we share Black Friday facts that can help you make the most out of the holiday, no matter your shopping habits.

1. It’s the Most Popular Day for Shoppers

Black Friday is the most popular shopping holiday, garnering more shoppers than other shopping holidays during Thanksgiving week, like Cyber Monday and Small Business Saturday. In fact, most people expect to do 21.2% of their total holiday spending on Black Friday in 2025, compared to between 4.2% and 6.6% on the other days during Thanksgiving weekend.

2. Sales May Dip in 2025

In 2024, Black Friday sales reached an estimated $20 billion — a 5.8% increase compared to 2023. This may change in 2025, with many Americans citing tariffs and other economic factors as a reason they plan to cut back on holiday spending in 2025 by about 10% on average.

3. Shoppers Want to Buy Online (But Will Still Go to Stores)

Shoppers are increasingly turning to mobile devices and the web on Black Friday. In 2024, the majority of Black Friday shoppers shopped on their smartphones — 69% worldwide — and in-store traffic dropped in most cases.

Brick-and-mortar operations that did well were offering particularly steep discounts, so retailers that want to capture foot traffic should consider big sales to attract customers. Meanwhile, customers are more likely to shop online. 

4. Consumers Use Smartphones to Research

Of all devices — smartphones, desktop computers and tablets — the vast majority of traffic to retailer websites is from smartphones, and most shopping now happens on mobile devices, too.

For businesses, that means having a mobile-optimized site is essential to capture the shoppers while they’re researching products and prices — and when they make a purchase. A great website in browser view won’t cut it anymore; it’s important that the mobile experience is just as great.

5. Shoppers Get an Early Start

People aren’t waiting around anymore: Half of shoppers have already begun their holiday shopping in October! People want sales and the best deal, and may even be skeptical that deals will get better after Thanksgiving weekend — especially since, in recent years, retailers have been starting their Black Friday discounts earlier and earlier.

So, don’t hold out on offering good deals — take advantage of early shoppers by offering deals early.

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