Prompt Cast
The History and Evolution of Black Friday
TLDR Black Friday originated in 1869 as a financial event and later became associated with Christmas shopping. It gained popularity in the late 1980s and has since spread to countries outside of the United States. However, its popularity in the U.S. is declining due to the pandemic and the rise of online shopping.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Black Friday is the term used to refer to the Friday after Thanksgiving in the United States, marking the beginning of the Christmas shopping season.
01:25
Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving when retail stores become profitable or go into the black, and the term has an economic association dating back to 1869.
02:31
Black Friday originated from a financial event in 1869 when financiers tried to corner the gold market, leading to a crash in the markets, and the association with Christmas shopping began in the early 20th century.
03:40
Black Friday started to take off nationally in the late 1980s, with retailers embracing the term and offering sales and deals to get people in their stores, leading to earlier opening times and extended sales throughout the entire weekend and week.
04:47
Black Friday gained a bad reputation due to promotions that led to stampedes, riots, fights, and even deaths, but it has now spread to countries that don't celebrate American Thanksgiving.
05:55
Black Friday is becoming less popular in the United States due to the pandemic and the rise of online shopping, but it is gaining popularity overseas.
07:06
Black Friday deals include iPads for $39, 3D televisions for $71, and a secret unpublished Harry Potter novel for only six bucks, with limited quantities available.
