Black Friday is the day of the year when product prices drop drastically, and discounts appear in every storefront. This day, which falls on the fourth Friday of November each year, is celebrated worldwide, and this year it falls on November 29. In Croatia, many stores will offer discounts on that Friday, though some have extended the "celebration" to the entire week, and some even to the entire month of November, reports Net.hr

What is Black Friday?

The concept of Black Friday began to take shape in the 1950s, originally used by the Philadelphia police. Since Black Friday falls on the day after the American Thanksgiving, the police used the term to describe the chaos that occurred in the city. For them, that day was anything but celebratory due to the influx of tourists and shoppers flooding the city.

However, during the 1980s, the meaning of "Black Friday" underwent a complete transformation from negative to positive. Retailers began to promote the idea that Black Friday was the day their businesses moved from “in the red,” indicating losses, to “in the black,” indicating profits. This marketing strategy helped turn Black Friday into what we know today—a day of huge discounts and the start of the holiday shopping season.

Black Friday in Croatia

Black Friday arrived in Europe in the 2010s, and today, many European countries, including Croatia, observe it. You may have noticed in recent years that ads increasingly mention Black Friday, or Crni Petak. Many retail chains have started holding Black Friday sales, attracting customers with big discounts on various products, from electronics to clothing and household appliances. Black Friday has even spread to small businesses, which also offer special Black Friday deals on their services.

Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday

Although the name implies a single Friday, Black Friday doesn’t last just one day. Some shopping centres start celebrating as early as the beginning of "Black Week." With advances in technology, Black Friday has also evolved from a solely physical event into an experience that combines online and offline shopping. Many retailers now offer discounts online, allowing shoppers to avoid crowds in stores. In response to the growing popularity of online shopping, Cyber Monday was created. This day, which falls on the first Monday after Thanksgiving, focuses exclusively on online discounts. Together with Black Friday, Cyber Monday forms "Cyber Weekend," a period of intense online shopping.