The term “Black Friday” was first used by police in Philadelphia during the 1950s to describe the chaotic day after Thanksgiving. Massive crowds of suburban shoppers and tourists would flood the city for the Army-Navy football game, creating traffic jams, packed stores, and even shoplifting incidents. By the 1980s, retailers embraced the term with a positive twist. They reframed “Black Friday” to represent the day when stores transitioned from being “in the red” (operating at a loss) to “in the black” (making a profit) thanks to the surge in sales.
This year, Black Friday was celebrated on November 29, 2024, kicking off a shopping frenzy both in stores and online.
Cyber Monday, on the other hand, was introduced by the NRF’s division, Shop.org, in a press release in November 2005. It highlighted a surprising trend: the Monday after Thanksgiving consistently showed a spike in online shopping sales. This year, it falls on December 2, 2024.

Black Friday vs Cyber Monday: What’s the difference

While Black Friday traditionally benefited large brick-and-mortar retailers, Cyber Monday was initially a way for smaller and online-only businesses to compete by offering exclusive online deals.
Now, the four days from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday are a shopping marathon, with major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Target offering overlapping deals. Many Black Friday discounts roll over to Cyber Monday, but some exclusive online offers are saved for the latter.

Which day is better for deals?

Amazon is running its first-ever Black Friday sale in India. The sale is giving up to 75% off on electronics. Prime members are eligible to get unlimited 5% cashback on all purchases using Amazon co-branded credit cards, while non-Prime members can get 3% cashback. The sale will run through Cyber Monday and will end on December 2.
Other retailers like Flipkart, Ajio, Vijay Sales and others also offered discounts on products across categories as part of the Black Friday sale. The shopping event, however, ended or will end before December 1. They are yet to announce any Cyber Monday offers.
Nevertheless, platforms like Tata Neu, Reliance Digital, Amazon and Tata Cliq have extended their Black Friday offers to Cyber Monday.

Shopping Trends in 2024

This year, Cyber Week (Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday) is expected to generate a record-breaking $40.6 billion in online sales, up 7% from last year. Cyber Monday alone is forecasted to rake in $13.2 billion, outpacing Black Friday’s $10.8 billion in online revenue.

FAQs

Why is Cyber Monday celebrated?

Originally designed to boost online sales, Cyber Monday has evolved into a global shopping phenomenon, rivaling Black Friday in popularity.

Why is Black Friday on November 29, 2024?

Black Friday always falls the day after Thanksgiving, which is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. This year, Thanksgiving is on November 28, making Black Friday November 29.
Both Black Friday and Cyber Monday have their strengths, and savvy shoppers can score big by targeting the deals that align with their needs. Whether you’re a fan of the in-store rush or the comfort of online shopping, this season’s sales are not to be missed!